Multisectoral efforts eye Bicol's Sinarapan conservation

To strengthen conservation and avoid the loss of Sinarapan, the world’s smallest edible fish, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute is implementing a research project in Lake Buhi in Camarines Sur, where the fish can only be harvested.

NFRDI scientist Dr. Maria Theresa Mutia, also the project proponent of "Stock Assessment of Inland Lakes: Lake Buhi,” said their research goal is to know the Sinarapan population in the said lake to identify if it is overfished and prevent their loss.

“Ayaw nating mawala ‘yan kasi dito lang ‘yan nakikita. Di naman ‘yan nakikita sa ibang probinsya, sa ibang bansa, kung hindi dito lang. So, we want to sustain the population of Sinarapan, and hopefully by the end of this year, based on our study, we will have a policy recommendation on Sinarapan.” (We don't want to lose that because it's only seen here. That is not seen in other provinces, in other countries, only here. So, we want to sustain the population of Sinarapan, and hopefully by the end of this year, based on our study, we will have a policy recommendation for Sinarapan.)

According to NFRDI, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, the research project focuses on collecting information on the fisheries' current status, which is crucial in policymaking and ensuring the sustainable management of Lake Buhi.

Besides the Buhi local government unit and NFRDI, the offices of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will also take part in the project.

Mutia reported in a meeting with Buhi LGU the initial results of the project, including the inventory of fishers, gear, and boats; aquaculture assessment; and the status and identification of Sinarapan.

"Our mayor ay talagang pinu-push po na magkaroon ng repopulation ng sinarapan sa Barangay Tambo. Hopefully, hindi po matigil ang collaboration kasi talagang yung LGU andun yung effort" (Our mayor is really pushing to have the repopulation of the sinaprapan in Barangay Tambo. Hopefully, the collaboration will not stop because the LGU is there to make the effort), said Lake Development Office Designate Buster Ibarbia.

According to FishBase, an online database for fish species, the Sinarapan, or Mischthys luzonensis, can also be found in Lakes Bato, Katugday, and Manapao in Camarines Sur Province, and along the Bicol River system.