Philippine Journal of Science
152 (1): 219-229 February 2023
ISSN 0031 – 7683
Date Received: 21 Jun 2022

Bivalve Gleaning Fishery in Batan Estuary,
Aklan, Western Visayas, Philippines

Annabelle G.C. del Norte-Campos1*, Lorelie Burgos-Nuňeza1,2,
and Switzel Lapara1

1Marine Biology Lab, 2Ocean Bio Lab
Division of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences,
University of the Philippines Visayas, Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

*Corresponding author: adcampos@up.edu.ph

[Download]
del Norte-Campos A et al. 2023. Bivalve Gleaning Fishery in Batan Estuary,
Aklan, Western Visayas, Philippines. Philipp J Sci 152(1): 219–229.
https://doi.org/10.56899/152.01.16

 

ABSTRACT

The gleaning fishery of the Batan estuary, Aklan was monitored over a period of 2 years from May 2018–April 2020 in two sites that differ primarily in location, bottom substrate, and water movement: Tinagong Dagat (TD), which is enclosed inshore, with finer silty/muddy substrate with mangroves and seagrasses; and Batan Bay (BB), which is more seaward, with coarser sandy/muddy substrate with mangroves. The catch was comprised solely of eight species of bivalves common for both sites but with strongly different relative frequencies (%). That is, the top three species of Batan Bay (Anadara compacta, Marcia hiantina, and Gafrarium pectinatum) were the bottom three species of Tinagong Dagat with the same trend and vice versa. Mean monthly catch rates (kg h–1 gleaner–1) and daily catch (kg day–1 gleaner–1) were higher in Tinagong Dagat, suggesting that the slower water movement and possibly anoxic conditions in the site did not pose a negative effect on the overall abundance of the species. Likewise, despite the higher number of gleaners in the area, the resulting annual catch (kg yr–1), value (PHP yr–1), and individual income of gleaners were all higher in Tinagong Dagat. The results further support the higher benthic production in soft sediments with higher organic matter in other gleaned areas of Panay Island, such as those previously reported in Banate Bay, Iloilo compared to the hard, coralline substrates of Malalison Island, Antique.