Catch trends in Philippine small-scale fisheries over the last five decades: The fishers׳ perspectives

Understanding catch trends through time is a crucial management consideration that would ensure long term sustainability of the fisheries. This study describes some changes in small-scale fisheries in the Philippines over the past five decades using both "quantitative" and "qualitative" estimates of current and past daily catches. "Quantitative" estimate was determined as the difference between current and past catches in kg per trip, as reported by fishers, on a normal fishing day. "Qualitative" estimate, on the other hand, was determined by asking fishers whether current catches are (i) less than half, (ii) lower to 50%, or (iii) the same or higher than past levels. "Quantitative estimate" indicated that current catches are lower by 16±14% of the 2000–2010 levels and 24±13–26±19% of catch levels in the preceding four decades. Catch decline over the past five decades was much worse based on "qualitative" estimate. The relatively more stable catches from "quantitative" estimate could be attributed to the improvement in fishing strategies employed by fishers to keep catches high even as the fish stocks continue to decline. The results of the study further suggest that the condition of small-scale fisheries in the Philippines has been deteriorating since the 1970s but initial signs of severe depletion of fish stocks to the level indicative of biological and economic overfishing occurred in 1990s. Increasing fishing population was attributed as the main cause of fishery decline. Other factors include destructive fishing, large-scale fishing in coastal waters, climate change, siltation/pollution from land-based activities and even marine protected areas establishment and tourism activities that closed some traditional fishing grounds. Important insights and policy prescriptions for improved management of small-scale fisheries are further discussed.