Original Article

Demersal stock assessment in Leyte Gulf, Philippines

Authors:
Claribel B. Salazar¹ , Jennifer S. Salonga², Christian F. Gino², Roger T. Fortaliza², Jonneil S. Leyson², Evangeline S. Sapul², Darlyn Grace Y. Camu², Dixcen G. Galve² and William S. Dela Cruz^2
1Capture Fisheries Division, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Fisheries Bldg. Complex, BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City
²Vessel Operations Center, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Fisheries Bldg. Complex, BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue, Quezon City

ABSTRACT
A demersal stock assessment was conducted in Leyte Gulf from 24 April to 08 May 2020, within the 19 established fishing stations, using a bottom otter trawl with a 71 m length and a 43 m head rope. This study focused on determining the total catch, catch composition, catch per unit effort (CPUE), and biomass. A total catch of 4.22 t comprised of 230 fish species and invertebrates which belongs to 74 families was recorded in the survey. The majority of the catch belongs to family Leiognathidae, comprising 39.45%, followed by Lutjanidae, and Gerreidae, with 8.05% and 7.07%, respectively. Top species were Orangefin ponyfish Photopectoralis bindus with a composition of 25.49%, followed by Toothpony Gazza minuta (both are locally known as “sap-sap”), and Longfin mojarra Pentaprion longimanus “hubad” with 7.42%, and 5.80%, respectively. Mean CPUE and biomass were approximately 222.08 kg hr^-1 and 2.81 t km^-2, respectively. A 68.26% increase in biomass compared to previously conducted study in 2014 of M/V DA-BFAR was recorded. The shifting of catch composition from economically valuable to low-valued, non-targeted, and small-sized species was observed. A continuous resource assessment activity is essential to determine the changes in fishing patterns, catch rates, and catch composition, which will serve as a basis for policy formulation and future management plans and measures.

Keywords: biomass, CPUE, trawl, Photopectoralis bindus

^{Available Online: 08 July 2024}

How to Cite:
Salazar CB, Salonga JS, Gino CF, Fortaliza RT, Leyson JS, Sapul ES, Camu DGY, Galve DG and Dela Cruz WS. 2024. Demersal stock assessment in Leyte Gulf, Philippines. The Palawan Scientist, 16(2): 23-33. https://doi.org/10.69721/TPS.J.2024.16.2.03

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License