Reassessment of the Mollusc Gleaning Fishery in Malalison Island, Antique Province, West Central Philippines

Abstract

Gleaning activity in Malalison Island in Culasi, Antique, Philippines, was revisited and monitored monthly from May 2018 to April 2020 to compare with results from a previous investigation in 2003. Overall, slight differences were noted in the daily catch, effort, and catch rates between 2003 and 2020, whereas substantial differences were observed in the monthly and annual catches. A total of 26 species of molluscs were recorded, which was slightly lower than the previous number (= 30), dominated by the gastropods, Nerita albicilla Linnaeus, 1758, Nerita polita Linnaeus, 1758, Canarium urceus (Linnaeus, 1758), Conomurex luhuanus (Linnaeus, 1758), and Angaria delphinus (Linnaeus, 1758) which represented 79 % of the catch. The mean daily catch was 1.15 kg.gleaner-1 with catch rates ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 kg.day-1.gleaner-1, was slightly lower than the estimates in 2003 (0.9 to 2.5 kg.day-1). The observed mean monthly catch (29.6 kg) was considerably higher than the 2003 estimate (6.1 kg), which subsequently resulted in a higher estimated annual catch (1,867–2,178 kg), value (USD2,352–2,783), and gleaner income (USD392–464) in 2020 compared to estimates in 2003. Despite the changes in the catch, effort, and value estimated for the gleaning fishery in the island since 2003, locals continue to supplement their household incomes through gleaning. Nonetheless, additional investigations into the reproductive and population biology of the different species may be needed to understand further the dynamics of this fishery and its impacts on the species' ecologies.