1 Journal of Environment and Aquatic Resources. 5: 43-60 (2020) doi: 10.48031/msunjear.2020.05.04 Socio-Economic Condition Among the Fisherfolks in Iligan Bay, Northern Mindanao, Philippines Mariefe B. Quiñones1*,Cesaria R. Jimenez1, Harry Kenn T. Dela Rosa1, Margarita C. Paghasian2, Jeanette J. Samson1, Dionel L. Molina1 and Jerry P. Garcia1 1Mindanao State University at Naawan, Naawan, Misamis Oriental 2Mindanao State University- Maigo School of Arts and Trades, Maigo, Lanao del Norte *corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT A one-year assessment on the fishery and reproductive dynamics of roundscads was conducted from September 2017 to October 2018 to determine the status of the fishery in Iligan Bay, including information on the socio-economic condition of the fishers in the Bay. The study used Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) conducted between September to October 2017 and secondary data to gather information on the number of fishers, type and number of boats, type of fishing methods and number of fishing gears, income, expenditure distribution, and non-fishery-based income sources as well as the fishers’ perception on issues and problems affecting their catches. The Bay had an estimated 15,357 fishers across all sites from 17 municipalities and two cities based on focus group discussions. Most fishers were from the province of Misamis Occidental or representing about 74% of the entire fisher population operating in the Bay. Iligan Bay has an artisanal or subsistence type of fisheries where most fishers rely mainly on traditional methods to harvest fish resources except for the commercial fishers operating the ring net or “kubkuban”. Thirty-three types of municipal fishing gears were operated in the Bay, nine of which could capture roundscads. Traditional fishing often could not provide higher revenues so that fishers, their wives and even their children had to engage in additional livelihood activities to supplement their daily earnings such as operating a sari-sari store, livestock rearing, and farming. Fishing 44 J. Environment & Aquatic Resources, Vol 5 (2020) remained a popular and important source of livelihood for most fishing households in the bay, despite having irregular and low income from the activity which is perceived by the fishers to have been largely affected by illegal fishing practices and habitat destruction. Keywords: roundscads, focus group discussion, socio-economics, Iligan Bay INTRODUCTION Marine fisheries are important sources of income and livelihood (Barut et al., 2004) particularly of more than a million Filipinos living in coastal areas (Luna et al., 2004; Palomares et al., 2014). What makes the sector even more popular is the contribution of fish to more than half of the animal protein in the average Filipino diet (Espejo-Hermes, 2004). In 2015, the Philippines ranked 9th among the top fish producing countries in the world making up 2.3% of the total world production of 199.7 million metric tons (Philippine Fisheries Profile, 2016) or about 4.59 million metric tons logged for the country. The most commonly consumed fish species in the Philippines are sardines, scads, milkfish, tilapia, and anchovies (Needham and Funge- Smith, 2014). However, fisheries production had declined particularly for roundscads from a total production of 183.08 thousand metric tons in 2017 to 168.15 thousand metric tons in 2018 (PSA, 2018). There are 10 major fishing grounds in the country including Iligan Bay, which ranked 6th in terms of its total area of 1,811 ha next to Sibugay Bay in Zamboanga del Sur with 1,935 ha (PSA, 2018). Roundscads are also abundant in the Bay and a major segment of the Bay’s fisheries production along with tuna, big-eyed scads, and sardines (NFRDI, 2017). Despite their economic contribution, little is known on the current status of the fishery, including the socio-economic profile of the fishing households in the Bay which is vital information for fisheries management options (FAO, 2002). Thus, an assessment of their stock, fishery, and reproductive characteristics in Iligan Bay was conducted from October 2017 to September 2018. The data on the number of fishers, types of fishing gears, types of fish caught, and income from fishing based on empirical data were helpful in illustrating the dynamics of the fishery in the Bay. With these, the project provided very important scientific information to assess and understand the status of roundscads in Iligan Bay during this period, however, other data such as the socio-economic characteristics of fishing households in Iligan Bay, and fishers’ perceptions on issues and concerns affecting their catches are considered Quiñones: Socio-Economic Condition Among the Fisherfolks… 45 necessary in providing a synoptic picture of the fishery. In this manner, site-specific ecosystem-based fisheries management is not merely based on the biophysical dimensions of the fishery but also understanding the present status of the economic conditions of the fishing community in the area. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study conducted a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) to generate information on the socio-economic status of fishing households, particularly those involved in the roundscad fishery between September to October 2017 in 17 coastal municipalities and two cities along Iligan Bay (Fig. 1). Figure.1. Map of Iligan Bay in Northern Mindanao, Philippines showing the location of the FGDs conducted between September and October 2017. Additional information on fishing activities was solicited from key informants in each municipality/city. Secondary fishery data were requested from the concerned local government unit (LGU) to supplement the primary data collected from the focus 46 J. Environment & Aquatic Resources, Vol 5 (2020) group discussions. Some key officials, particularly from the municipal offices, were instrumental in the successful conduct of the FGDs, particularly in arranging for the venue and identifying the participants. Fishermen, People’s Organization (PO) members, and fish vendors who were mostly women took part in each FGD. Occasionally barangay officials, Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council/Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council (MFARMC/BFARMC) Chair, and agriculture personnel were present during the FGD. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION A total of 495 individuals engaged in fishing activities participated in the series of FGDs in 17 municipalities and two cities across three provinces along Iligan Bay. Relevant information was also generated that would provide insights on the economic activities of fishers useful in drafting prospective fisheries management options for the Bay. A. Profile on Fishing Effort Number of Fishers Of the 19 areas covered for the project, only 12 municipalities had data on the number of fishers in their locality. Moreover, the information generated from the FGDs and records of the Municipal Agriculture offices varied across sites (Fig. 2). A total of 15,357 fishers were provided by FGD participants across areas while only 11,399 were recorded from the offices of the municipal agriculturists. Most participants were considered municipal fishers while only very few were involved in commercial fishing. Fishing as an occupation dominated by men is true in Iligan Bay according to the respondents, where women act as supporters to their fisher-husbands in the fish capture arena. However, their significant contribution during post capture activities like vending and in the economy of the household cannot be underrated. Moreover, the wives of fishers and their daughters also play active roles in many current coastal resource management activities in the coastal areas around Iligan Bay based on the FGDs and KIIs. As per FGD results and from secondary data, most fishers came from the province of Misamis Occidental with the municipality of Plaridel recording the highest number (4,770) followed by Lopez Jaena (3,213). Meanwhile, the industrialized city of Iligan recorded the lowest number of fishers at 125. Fishing has become a popular Quiñones: Socio-Economic Condition Among the Fisherfolks… 47 activity or livelihood option among coastal communities in Iligan Bay considering the growing number of fishers. For example, only 712 fishers have been reported in 2009 in the municipality of Lopez Jaena (De Guzman et al., 2009), 1,236 fishers in Plaridel (MSUN-FSTDI, 2011) and 388 from 375 fishers in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental in 2007 (De Guzman et al., 2007). 6000 Secondary data FGDs 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 Number of fishers Number of fishers 0 Coastal municipalities Figure 2. The number of fishers in the coastal municipalities and cities along Iligan Bay based on secondary data and FGD output between September to October 2017. Number and Types of Fishing Boats Data on fishing boats secured from the offices of the municipal agriculturist and those from the FGDs showed some inconsistencies as to the number and types. There were about 6,809 fishing boats identified by FGD participants in the 16 coastal municipalities and two cities along Iligan Bay in which 69% was classified as motorized and the remaining 31% as non-motorized. This figure was higher compared to the data from the Municipal Agriculture Offices (Table 1). The municipality of Plaridel, Misamis Occidental had the highest number of fishing boats recorded at 1,650 while Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, had the fewest at 42. 48 J. Environment & Aquatic Resources, Vol 5 (2020) Table 1.