Urgent Alert on Lake Mainit Declining Pijanga Population
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Local officials in the towns bordering Lake Mainit, which connects Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte provinces, have raised concerns over the rapidly declining Pijanga population. The native freshwater fish, known scientifically as Glossogobius giuris, has long been vital to the lake’s fishing communities.
Recent findings from the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) reveal a steady decrease in Pijanga catches from 2014 through 2024, highlighting the urgency to address this issue. Senior aquaculturist Joyce Baclayo of the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Caraga region presented these results, emphasizing the need for urgent and effective management measures.
“This pattern highlights growing concerns about the stock’s sustainability and the need for effective management measures,” Baclayo stated during a July 15 stock assessment in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte. “All key performance indicators have reached critical limits, indicating clear overfishing and a loss in reproductive capacity.”
Pijanga, which once made up nearly 78 percent of Lake Mainit’s total fish catch, now faces threats from overfishing, habitat damage, and harmful fishing methods.
Lake Mainit’s Vital Role and Local Response
Spanning over 17,000 hectares, Lake Mainit is the Philippines’ fourth largest and second deepest lake. It supports thousands of fisherfolk in the towns of Jabonga and Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte as well as Mainit and Alegria in Surigao del Norte.
Jabonga Vice Mayor Danny Moran described the stock assessment as a “wake-up call” and urged local governments to enact policies protecting the Pijanga before it’s too late. “If we don’t act now, Pijanga will just be another story,” he warned. “Let’s protect this resource so that it will still be around for the next generation to come.”
Christopher H. Lindo, chair of the Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC), called for the revival of the Lake Mainit Development Alliance (LMDA). The group, once active in coordinating lake-wide conservation and management, would spearhead creating unified regulations on fishing gear and closed seasons, and harmonize enforcement across municipalities.
“RAFC will help push for the reactivation of LMDA. Collaboration, cooperation, convergence—that’s how we save Lake Mainit,” Lindo added.
Protecting Pijanga: Balancing Science and Community Needs
Rizalinda Abing, chief aquaculturist from DA-BFAR Caraga’s Fisheries Production and Support Services Division, stressed that scientific data must guide fisheries policies while addressing the immediate needs of local fisherfolk. “The data will be our basis for crafting ordinances but we must also consider alternative livelihoods for fishers affected by any restriction,” she said.
A major concern centers on the use of the “Laya” or boat cast net, the most common and efficient gear for catching juvenile fish. Stakeholders noted that Laya’s extensive use across the lake leaves no safe refuge for Pijanga, disrupts breeding grounds, and contributes to habitat loss, resulting in high juvenile mortality and overexploitation.
Some municipalities, such as Kitcharao, have implemented a three-month closed season for Laya, but without a unified lake-wide policy, these efforts remain fragmented.
Another challenge is the lack of data from the town of Alegria, which currently has no sampling site due to minimal fishing activity. Expanding the stock assessment to include Alegria was proposed to gain a complete understanding of the lake’s fish population.
Fisherfolk also voiced concerns, asking, “If we have to stop using Laya, will there still be an alternative source of livelihood for us?” In response, local governments, DA-BFAR, and other agencies were urged to work together to provide short-term livelihood support during conservation efforts such as closed seasons or gear bans.
Community Proposals and Conservation Measures
Stakeholders proposed establishing fish sanctuaries in every municipality, enforcing size limits, banning the catch of juvenile Saguyon, and conducting community workshops to align enforcement strategies. They also suggested strengthening penalties for violations under national and local laws.
“Let us work together, so we can bring Pijanga back and ensure Lake Mainit remains productive for future generations,” Abing concluded.
For more news and updates on Lake Mainit declining Pijanga population, visit Filipinokami.com.
