Lake Taal is a source of livelihood and provides for more than 2,000 sustenance fisherfolk. Fish production of the open water fisheries has dwindled over the years with the continuous decline of fish catch, which can be attributed to unsustainable fishing practices such as illegal fishing, overfishing, pollution, and the expansion of aquaculture activities in the lake. Women, as a sector, constitute almost one half of the economically active population in Lake Taal. Men and women performed different roles at different stages of fish capture or fish culture. In terms of their economic and social value, the participation of women in pre- and post-production activities are significant. This study assessed the level of gender participation in the fisheries sector of Lake Taal. Specifically, it determined the roles of men and women in the different fishing activities and described the fisherfolk’s socioeconomic profile. A total of 407 randomly selected respondents were interviewed in 11 barangays from eight municipalities in Lake Taal, represented by 54% male and 46% female, consisting of 214 fishers, 76 fish vendors, four processors, 51 helpers, and 62 fish cage or fish pond owners, managers, and caretakers. Profiling of the socioeconomic status was done to assess families’ living conditions and constructed primary data based on household’s present roles, activities, responsibilities, access to and control over resources, problems, and constraints of men and women. The roles of both men and women in fisheries were categorized into three sectors: capture, post-harvest, and aquaculture.

The mangrove red snapper Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Forsskål 1775) is a high value, euryhaline marine fish with potential as a species for freshwater aquaculture. This study evaluated the growth and cost efficiency of the species in a freshwater pond in two experiments with three replications: (a) comparing stocking densities: (1) 0.5; (2) 1; and (3) 3 fish fish•m-2 reared for six months fed three times a day with trash fish to apparent satiation; and (b) comparing feed types: (1) trash fish; (2) moist diet; and (3) formulated dry pellet at a stocking density of 1 fish•m-2 fed to apparent satiation three times a day for seven months. The stocking density (SD) experiment showed significantly higher weight gain, absolute growth and specific growth rate (P<0.05) in 0.5 fish•m-2 SD (184.9 g; 1.04 g•day-1; 2.50%/day) than 3 fish•m-2 SD (172.7 g; 0.96 g•day-1; 2.38 %•day-1). No significant difference was detected between 0.5 fish•m-2 SD and 1 fish•m-2 nor between 1 fish•m-2 and 3 fish•m-2 (P>0.05). Survival rate (SR) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were not statistically different between treatments (P>0.05), which ranged from 78% to 92% and 5.0 to 5.9, respectively. Cost analysis showed high net returns for 1 and 3 fish•m-2 SD but low in 0.5 fish•m-2 SD. The feeding experiment study showed that feed types significantly affected weight gain, SGR, and SR (P<0.05). Snappers fed with trash fish attained significantly higher mean absolute growth (298.2 g) and SGR (1.81%/day) than those fed moist feeds (232.8 g and 1.61%/day, respectively) and formulated feeds (236.1 g and 1.51%/day, respectively). The survival rate was significantly higher in snappers fed trash fish (93.33%) and dry pellets (94.00%) than fed moist feeds (81.34%). FCR in trash fish, moist and dry pellet treatment was 6.4, 6.3, and 2.7, respectively. Cost analysis showed high net returns for trash fish and formulated pellet fed snappers but low in moist diet feed treatment. Cost-benefit analysis showed the feasibility of mangrove red snapper for freshwater aquaculture at a recommended stocking density of 1 to 3 fish•m-2 using trash fish, moist diet, or formulated dry pellet.

No abstract