Fish inventory and fishing practices in Candaba swamp, Philippines: their implication to fishermen’s income

This study generally aimed to make an inventory of fishes in Candaba Swamp and documented the fishing practices of the local fishermen as they are related to their income. The study documented 14 different species of fishes, each representing 14 families in the Barangays of San Agustin and Dukma Paralaya. The fourteen species were the Elopshawaiensis, Glossobiusgiurus, Megalops cyprinoides , Cyprinuscarpio, Trichopodus pectoralis, Clariasbatrachus, Hypostomus plecostomus, Arius dispar, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Anabas testudineus, Carassiuscarasius, Labeorohita, Hypophthalmichthysnobilis, Oreochromis niloticus. The Inventory recorded the Tilapia,Common Carp and Hito species as the most dominant species in Candaba Swamp. Fishermen’s ages were between 20 to 89, most of them were between 50-59, used the “panti” (kitig) as fishing gear and with daily income ranging from 100 pesos to 1,500 pesos. The total income of the fisherman during the wet season is from 1,000 pesos to 10,000 pesos, and the daily expenses in each fishing trip is from 20 pesos to 100 pesos which is mostly used for gasoline. The fishermen’s income depended on the number of fishes they catch which was affected by changes in season. The Cost-Benefit-Analysis showed a net income Of P281.27 per day with a Return of Investment of 174.4%.


Introduction
Candaba Swamp, popularly known as "Pinac," is one of the most panoramic wetland here in our country situated in Candaba, Pampanga, Central Luzon, Philippines. Aside from being the location of one of the oldest settlements in Central Luzon, it is a famous site because of its diverse and multiform fauna and flora and its exotic ecosystem. Candaba swamp is known in the province of Bulacan and Pampanga because of its importance in agriculture, fisheries production, irrigation and its helps in retention of natural flood in the said province here in the Philippines. Tourism in the area has increased, especially during the migratory season, benefiting the LGUs, the communities, and the migratory birds themselves (Torres et al. 2008).
Presently, the swamp is utilized all throughout the year. During summer which is every January to May, the swamp is primarily used for rice and watermelon production. From June to December which is usually the rainy season, the swamp serves as a fishing ground and stopover of migratory birds from Siberia and China. (Melendres, 2014). This study is important in providing data on fish inventory in the San Agustin and Dukma Paralaya barangays in Candaba Swamp, Pampanga.The implications of this inventory to the income of the fishermen will also be useful as basis for policy recommendation in the area. This may also serve as a reference material to those who want to know how Candaba Swamp is very important to the livelihood of fishermen in the barangay of San Agustin and Dukma Paralaya. It will also contribute further to the existing knowledge in academic and research endeavors with regard to Biodiversity conservation.

Research Design
The study made use of the descriptive-survey method of research using an interview guide. The identification of the species made use of existing literatures based on their morphological characteristics. The identity and classification were validated by fishexperts from the University of the Philippines, Los Banos.

Key informant interview
Interviews were conducted among the fishermen to elicit their fishing practices. Stratified method was used in determining the sample respondents and in the collection of data thru the survey given to the fishermen in the Candaba swamp. Thirty Percent (30%) of the total population of 519 fishermen served as respondents of the study.

Collection of Specimen
Collection of fish species in Candaba Swamp were based on the total number of fishes captured by the local fishermen. One sample each species group was collected to represent each group and was preserved using Taxidermy procedures for future documentation, identification and deposited at The Biology Museum of the College of Arts and Sciences, Pampanga State Agricultural University, Magalang, Pampanga.

Identification Procedure
Identification of fish species in Candaba Swamp was done with the help of a fish expert from UP Los Banos. The species was laid on a flat surface with a ruler below for documentation and measurement. The fins were stretched to determine the number and then the scales of each specimen were also counted.

Ecological Factors
The researcher used an YSI Multi Parameter Test Probe and Hach Ammonia Test Kit from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to determine the environmental factors such a pH, Temperature, Conductivity, Salinity, Turbidity, Dissolved Oxygen and Depth.

Diversity Index and Statistical Analysis of Data
The Shannon-Weiner Index to determine species diversity was used with the following formula.

Inventory of fishes in the Candaba Swamp
There were Fourteen (14) species identified and classified in Candaba Swamp. Among the 14 fish species, 5 of them are Cyprinidae (Common carp, Katkat,Pararak,Roho, and Tie fish) and the other 10 species are from different fish families, the Chanidae, Elopidae, Gobiidae, Osphronemidae, Clariidae, Loricariidae, Ariidae, Terapontidae, Anabantidae, and Cichlidae. In terms of their Genus,two of them have the same genus which is Hypophthalmichthys (Katkat and Tie fish) and the others are from Elops, Glossobius, Megalops, Cyprinus, Trichopodus, Clarias, Hypostomus, Arius, Anabas, Carrassius, Labeo, and lastly Oreochromis (Table 1).  Figure 1 displays the ages of fishermen in Candaba, Swamp. The highest percentage (28%) of age is found within 50-59 age brockets and the lowest percentage (2.6%) is found in the 80-89 age brocket. Majority of the fishermen is from 50 to 50 of age because this are the person who did not finish High school to find a decent job , and the lowest percentage are from 80 years and above because they are too old to have a job for their family. As shown in Figure 2, the livelihood of the fishermen is farming comprising 22%, second is construction with 8%, third is vendor with 4.6%, fourth is a truck driver with 3.3%, and fifth is otherswith 2.6% and lastly, the barangay tanod with 0.6% then the 58.6% are just fishermen and no other livelihood.
Majority are fishermen because it is a common knowledge that Candaba swamp during the wet season is a favored environment for fishing because of the retention of natural flood in the said area. This justify why fishing of freshwater fishes is one of the source of income of the people in Candaba swamp. As shown in Figure 3, most respondents (41.3%) have fishing time starting at around 2:01 to 4:00 in the morning. Thirty two percent starts at 4:01 to 6:00 in the morning, thirdly, 14% fish between 12:00 to 2:00 in the morning the rest starts between 6:00 in the morning to 12:00 noon.
The table shows that more fishermen start fishing very early in the morning because they believe that if they fish early in the morning they have the possibility to catch more fishes to be sold in the market.  Figure 4, most fishermen have fishing duration within 4-6 hours. This was followed by 26.6% of the fishermen second for 7-10 hours; 1-3 with a 19.3 percent; and lastly 11 hours and more with a 12.6 percent of the respondents.
Most of the fishermen spend 4 hours, at least, in swamps so that they could capture more. Most of the fishermen used the fishinggear Pantiwith the highest percentage of 43.3 percent. For one thing, it catches more fish as compared to lambat and other fishing gears. Panti is easy to repair by hand once it gets broken. Lastly, it is more convenient to use because fishermen set the panti or kitig in swamps and wait until the gear catch a fish.

Fish Catch and Price Per Kilogram
As shown in Table 2, the most abundant fish species caught by the fishermen is Tilapia with the average frequency of 58 and 702 kilogram, number 2 is Common carp with the average frequency of 44 and with a 744 kilogram, and the number 3 with an average frequency of 27 with a 187 kilogram.
The fishermen caught Tilapia more than the Common carp and Hito. The Common carp is a lot heavier than the Tilapia, because common carp fishes are bigger in size.But when it comes to the price, fishermen have higher income from Tilapia because it is more expensive than the common carp and hito though hito commands higher price than the common carp.     Figure 7 shows the income per day of the fishermen most of them has an income of 100 to 1,500 pesos in daily fishing. The Total income during wet season is 73.3 percent the range of their income starts from 1,000 to 10,000 pesos during wet, 20.6 percent starts for 10,001 to 20,000 pesos and some of them are 20,001 and above. Then the Total expenses per day of the fishermen 68.6 percent has the daily expenses of 20 to 100 pesos, 17.3 percent has the daily expenses from 101 to 200 pesos, 8 percent has no daily expenses, 2.6 percent from 201 to 300 pesos, 2 pecent from 301 to 400 pesos, 0.6 percent from the 401 to 500 pesos same with 601 to 700 pesos.

Daily income total income [during weseas
Total expenses per day during wet season]

Perception of Fishermen on their income
Shown inFigure8 is the sufficiency of the income of the fishermen for their family. Most of them answered the 2 or less sufficient with the 40 percent, while in the 3 or sufficient has a 35.3 percent, in 1 or not sufficient has a 18.6 percent, 4 or very sufficient with a 6 percent and lastly 5 or more sufficient has 0 percent because there's no fishermen answered that their income is more sufficient for their family.

Summary of Findings
Based on the data gathered, the researcher came up with the following findings: