MGM 503 (Block 8)

Group No. 1

Members:

1. Teresa C. Batica , DILG

2. Maritess C. Collado , PNP
3. Romualdo M. Pol, BFAR

TOPIC: Containment of Knifefish (Chitala ornata) Infestation in Laguna de Bai

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION (Short Background)

The Clown fish which is commonly known as chitala in Bangladesh was

introduced in the Philippines through the ornamental fish trade, but no record or
information of its initial introduction. Gathered information that the occurrence in
Laguna de Bay was after Typhoon Ondoy but others claimed that they observed in
the Lake even earlier through escapement from aquaculture facilities. The fish
matures when they attained length of 91 cm. The biggest collected specimen from
Laguna de Bai has an average length of 100 cm and weight of 6.5 kgs.

The fish is highly carnivorous and aggressive. It can breed naturally in the
open water of the Lake with average fecundity of 20,000 eggs/kg breeder. Baseline
survey of key landing areas around Laguna de Bai showed 4 municipalities in Rizal 2
cities in NCR and 12 municipalities and 1 city in Laguna are affected by knifefish.
Fisheries survey covering 2,519 (43.67%) of the affected fishermen revealed that
knifefish comprised 40.34% of the combined catch of the 8 major fishing gears
operating in the Lake.

Its diet consists mainly of small fishes (32.29%), indigenous fishes (29.41%),
shrimps (17.65%) and shells (17.65%). Hence, its serious infestation has affected
the biodiversity and ecology of Laguna de Bai including the livelihood and socio-
economic conditions of the fisherfolks dependent on the Lake.

This research will be a collaborative work of DA-BFAR & DILG which is

designed to continuously assess the environmental and socio economic impacts of
knifefish to the fisheries in Laguna de bai and to develop practical strategies to
contain the population of knifefish in the lake; develop technologies on the
economic utilization of the fish and provide supplemental and alternative
livelihood to affected fisherfolks.
 CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Related References/Studies

TITLE AUTHORS SOURCE KEYWORDS

Chitala ornata Froese, R. and D. Fish Base. Available: Mitochondrial

(Gray, 1831) Pauly, editors. http://fishbase.org/summary/chitala- DNA
2016 ornata.html. (March 2017) variation
Impacts of Guererro, R.P., A Review and Recommendations. Philippine Introduction
Introduced III. 2014 Journal of Science 143 (1): 49-51 of Invasive
Freshwater Fishes 2nd
Fishes in the major causes
Philippines of loss of
biodiversity
Invasive Alien Silva P., and Strengthening Capacity to Control Their Invasive Alien
Fauna in Sri Kurukulasurriya. Introduction and Spread. Biodiversity Fauna in Sri
Lanka 2010 Secretariat of the Ministry of Environment. Sri Lanka:
Lanka National List,
Regulatory &
Impact
Framework
Government Mayuga J. 2013 Available: Massive
Moves to Address https//www.businessmirror.com.ph/ retrieval/
Knifefish index.php/en/business/agricommodities/ Collection of
Infestation in 15114-government-moves-to-address-knife- knifefish
Laguna de Bay fishinfestation-in-laguna-de-bay. (May 2014) (Chitala
ornata) in
Laguna Lake
LLDA Vows to Punongbayan, The Philippine Star. Available: Collection of
Address Knifefish M. 2012 https//www.philstar.com/nation/809 Knifefish
Problems in the 655/llda-vows-addressknife-fishproblem-lake. (Chitala
Lake (May 2014) ornata) in
Laguna de bai
Technical Bulletin Darvin, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Service Biology of
on Biology of Loureeda C. Knifefish
Knifefish 2017 (Chitala
Released ornate) in
Laguna Lake
Chitala ornata GBIF (Global GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Chital ornata (Gray, Chitala ornata
(Gray, 1831) Biodiversity 1831) Global Biodiversity Information Facility, (Gray, 1831)
Information Copenhagen. Available: GBIF
Facility) 2016 http://www.gbif.org/species 2402260. (March
2017)
Chitala ornata ITIS (Integrated Available: http://www.itis.gov/servelet/ Chitala ornata
(Gray, 1831) Taxonomic SinghRpt/SinghRpt?search-topic=TSN & search- (Gray, 1831)
Information value=649 807#null (March 2017) IT IS Report
System) 2017 Page
Predicting Welianse, W.S. Page 19 Book of Abstracts of the National Clown
Invasiveness of 2009 Symposium of Invasive Alien Species, 21-22 Knifefish
Fishes: An May 2009. Negombo, Sri Lanka (Chitala
Ecomorphological ornata)
Approach National
Symposium
on Invasive
Fishes, Sri
Lanka
Chitala ornata Nico, L., P. Fuller, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Chitala ornata
M. Heilson, and Gainville, Florida. Available: (Gray, 1831)
B. Lottus. 2017 http://nas.er.usgs.gov/querries/FactSheet. Nopterus
aspx?Specs ID=793 (March 2017) ornatus
New Predator Despuez, O. Available: Clown
Fish Threathens 2012 http://www.interaksyon.com/business/32345/ knifefish
Laguna Lake new-predator-fish-threatens-lagunalake- (Chitala
Biodiversity biodiversity. (May 2014) ornata) is a
nocturnal
feeder
Occurrence of Gunawardena, J. Sri Lanka Naturalist 5: 6-7 Occurrence of
Chitala ornata 2002 Chitala ornata
(syn. Chitala in Freshwater
ornata) in Native habitat in Sri
Freshwater Lanka
Habitat
The Current State Israel, D. 2007 Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Current State
of Aquaculture in Discussion Paper Series No. 2007-20. Available: of
Laguna de Bay http://www.pids.gov.ph. (April 2014) Aquaculture
in Laguna de
Bay,
SEAFDEC &
PIDS
Fishes of the Rainboth, W.J. FAO Species Identification Field Guide for Fishes of the
Cambodian 1996 Fishery Purposes. FAO. Rome Cambodian
Mekong FAO
Ontogenetic Shirantha Page 25 in Book of Abstracts of the National Clown
Dietary Shifts in R.R.A.R., and U.S. Symposium of Invasive Alien Species, 21-22 Knifefish
Clown Amarasinghe. May 2009. Negombo. Sri Lanka (Chitala
Featherback 2009 ornata)
Chital ornata Ecological
(Osteichthyes: Risk
Notopteridae) Screening
and its Potential Summary
Impact on
Freshwater
Fauna of Sri
Lanka

CHAPTER 3. METHODOLOGY

The Department of Agriculture (DA) thru the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) will conduct the following activities:

1. Enumeration on fish catch and socio-economic profile of fisherfolks in the lake.

2. Conducts intervention in life cycle of knifefish in Laguna de Bai

a. Conduct salinity tolerance test

b. Burying of eggs
c. Electrocution of the eggs of knifefish using electrofishing gadget (EFG)

3. Distribution of fishing gears (gillet & longline) to augment the tools for catching
the knifefish in the lake

4. Conducts training on fish processing for the value-added product of knifefish as

alternative livelihood for affected fisherfolks

5. Production, distribution and dissemination of Information and Educational

Campaign (IEC) materials

The Department of Interior and Local Government thru the Local Government Units
of affected coastal municipalities/cities along the lake and the Philippine National Police
will conduct the following activities:

1. The retrieval/collection of knifefish in the lake will be provided to all fisherfolks

thru the “Cash for Program”. To encourage fishermen to catch the knifefish in
the lake a buy-back scheme will be implemented wherein all knifefish caught
will be purchased by LGUs concerned at Php 35.00 per kg.

2. Collected knifefish will be turn over to DA-BFAR to be processed as value-added

products, fishmeal and feeds for the carnivorous fishes. Other knifefish will be
given or donated to the municipal jails and home for the elders as food for the
inmates and oldies.

3. Establish check points in every coastal municipalities along the lake to prevent
the spread or transfer of knifefish to other inland waters in the country.
4. Conducts security surveillance within the lake on the use of electro fishing
gadget.

5. Provide security and safekeeping of participants and resource speakers during

trainings & forums.