Economic evaluation of coastal fisheries catch from seasonal regulation of baby bagnets in Calauag Bay, Quezon [Philippines]

Economic evaluation of fish catch from baby bagnets shows that the municipal fishermen are losing as much as P1,513,532 during the spawning months of March to June. The optimization model shows that only 18 of the existing 27 baby bagnets are operating optimally. The explanatory variables found to have significant effects on fish yield were number of boats in operation, livestock weights, number of industrial establishments, forest cover, price of fish, and domestic effluents. The level of fishing effort (number of boats) yielded negative signs reflecting the fact that Calauag Bay's fishery is overexploited. The basic economic efficiency indicators show that implementation of seasonal regulation is feasible and will bring a positive BCR for the municipal boats, when projected for 15 years. Efforts should be done to prohibit baby bagnets and other commercial gears to fish in municipal waters, even only during the spawning season. The Calauag Bay Management Council can initiate a resolution requesting the Philippine Navy through the Philippine Coast Guard to install navigational buoys in Calauag Bay to determine the boundary between municipal and commercial waters especially during the spawning season of March to June. To lessen the fishing pressure exerted on the bay and to uplift the socioeconomic status of the coastal families, livelihood projects must be developed which can be a good source of additional income of subsistence families. A comprehensive management plan for Calauag Bay and its watershed, must be formulated by the Calauag Bay Management Council in cooperation with concerned agencies. The plan will protect the bay's resources and environment and ensure the optimum development of the bay for its intended uses. Added to this, the Council's policy programs must be more oriented towards environmental protection rather than resource development to ensure that the development activities in the watershed will not create adverse effects on the bay resource