Assessment of the Acetes Beach Seine Fishery in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

Abstract

Gear type and characteristics, catch rates and landings, and the status of the Acetes beach seine fishery in Miagao, Iloilo were investigated based on the fishery-dependent data and formal interviews on all the coastal barangays. Specimen collection for morphological identification of species and determining the catch per unit effort (CPUE) were conducted at Brgy. Damilisan, Miagao, Iloilo from November 2021 to April 2022. The genus Acetes is known to aggregate in the coastal waters during nighttime and are captured using beach seines. The results of the morphological analysis revealed that the specimens collected were Acetes intermedius. In Miagao, there were 28 licensed beach seine operators. The total line length of a beach seine towing line ranged from 130 to 280 m and was deployed at depths of 5 – 60 m. The operators were all males, and most of them worked under an owner having an income of PHP 516.67 – PHP 2,673.33 per week. The crew comprises 4 to 5 persons, including the operator, 2–3 boat rowers, and 1 in charge of deploying the net; the rest are rope haulers. The operations were affected by environmental factors such as monsoons, tides, open and closed seasons, and hauling time. In Brgy. Damilisan, the highest monthly mean catch rate was 90.33 kg/haul, and the highest monthly estimated total landings was 2341.44 kg, which was recorded in January 2022. The information collected defined the seasonality of Acetes and the fishery practices that will help in the management of the beach seine fishery.