Ivatan Fisheries Professionals

10/12/2025

📢 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐞-𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 is now officially published open access!

Our study provides the 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of the Ivatan people’s traditional pole-held cast nets, 𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒖𝒚/𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒘𝒖𝒚, a unique fishing gear that has been part of their culture for generations.

🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 (𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬):
• These nets are used by 𝟒𝟕𝟐 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, showing how deeply rooted this practice is in local life.
• We documented 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬, mayripid and ipayvuya, each reflecting long-held ecological knowledge passed across generations.
• Monitoring in five municipalities showed that fishers catch 𝟏𝟒 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, mostly reef fish that support household food needs.

🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
This work highlights the importance of 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞, provides a scientific baseline for local fisheries management, and strengthens evidence for including small-scale subsistence fisheries in 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

🙏𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 for their generosity and cooperation, and to the 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨, 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐨, 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚, 𝐔𝐲𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐧, 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐭 for supporting the field activities.
This research was funded by 𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐒𝐄𝐈 (𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐃𝐏) and the 𝐔𝐏 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
A special thank you to the 𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐇 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for the APC Grant that made this open-access publication possible.

Read/download here:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41208-025-00996-z

📢 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐓!

𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐞-𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐍𝐞𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 is now officially published open access!
Our study provides the 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐝𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of the Ivatan people’s traditional pole-held cast nets, 𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒖𝒚/𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒘𝒖𝒚, a unique fishing gear that has been part of their culture for generations.

🔍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 (𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬):
• These nets are used by 𝟒𝟕𝟐 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬, showing how deeply rooted this practice is in local life.
• We documented 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐬, mayripid and ipayvuya, each reflecting long-held ecological knowledge passed across generations.
• Monitoring in five municipalities showed that fishers catch 𝟏𝟒 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬, mostly reef fish that support household food needs.

🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬
This work highlights the importance of 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞, provides a scientific baseline for local fisheries management, and strengthens evidence for including small-scale subsistence fisheries in 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠.

🙏𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 for their generosity and cooperation, and to the 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐜𝐨, 𝐌𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐨, 𝐈𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐚, 𝐔𝐲𝐮𝐠𝐚𝐧, 𝐒𝐚𝐛𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐭 for supporting the field activities.
This research was funded by 𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓-𝐒𝐄𝐈 (𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐃𝐏) and the 𝐔𝐏 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞-𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧.
A special thank you to the 𝐑𝐔𝐌𝐀𝐇 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 for the APC Grant that made this open-access publication possible.

Read/download here:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41208-025-00996-z

09/12/2025

Mangrove roots embrace the soil tight---holding it together and protecting our coasts from erosion. Mangroves are more than what meets the eye — it’s a living barrier, a protector of homes, livelihoods, and communities.

On World Soil Day, let’s remember to do our part in protecting and restoring our mangroves forests. Call on your government leaders to prioritize the passage of the National Coastal Greenbelt Bill: https://www.mangrovemattersph.com/ncg-bill

09/12/2025

Corruption compromises projects meant to uplift people’s lives, diverts funds for personal gains, and allows destructive infrastructures in our waterways and coastlines. Result? Coastal communities pay the price through deeper, longer, and more dangerous floods. We can’t keep rebuilding from the same disasters without fixing the root causes.💯

There is a way forward: nature-based solutions. Mangroves—our natural flood defenders—slow down storm surges, protect coastlines from floodings, and mitigate the impacts of climate change. They provide the shield we need against natural and man-made disasters.

Today's celebration of International Anti-Corruption Day, let's demand accountability AND call on the President and our policymakers to pass the National Coastal Greenbelt bill. We need it now more than ever. https://www.mangrovemattersph.com/ncg-bill

Photo © Oceana, D. De Jesus

09/12/2025

Wetlands provide an array of valuable services for society and the environment.

Besides sustaining a huge number of plant and animal species, they improve water quality; reduce erosion and flooding and even moderate the effects of climate change.

The Convention on Wetlands

09/12/2025

Stingray l Myliobatoidei
Stingrays are a group of cartilaginous fish that belong to the suborder Myliobatoidei within Myliobatiformes, an order of rays. They are characterized by flat, disc-like bodies with a pair of large, wing-like pectoral fins and a whip-like tail. Some species are also equipped with venomous spines on their tails, which play a crucial role in their defense.

Read: https://animalfact.com/stingray/

09/12/2025

Eel l Anguilliformes
Eels are a group of ray-finned fish that resemble snakes in appearance. They are characterized by elongated bodies, smooth skin, and a continuous, ribbon-like fin that runs along their back. They belong to the order Anguilliformes, comprising around 1,000 species.

Read: https://animalfact.com/eel/

09/12/2025

Cuttlefish l Sepiidae
Cuttlefish, or simply cuttles, are marine cephalopods distinguished by a unique internal shell called the cuttlebone, a porous aragonite structure that serves as a buoyancy control organ. Moreover, they also have highly developed eyes with W-shaped pupils capable of detecting polarized light. They constitute the family Sepiidae.

Read: https://animalfact.com/cuttlefish/

09/12/2025

Sea Cucumber l Holothuroidea
Sea cucumbers, or holothurians, are marine invertebrates with elongated, cylindrical bodies covered in soft, leathery skin resembling the fruit of a cucumber plant. They are related to starfish, sea urchins, and feather stars and belong to the class Holothuroidea, one of the five extant classes within the phylum Echinodermata.

Read: https://animalfact.com/sea-cucumber/

05/12/2025

💰 Every $1 invested in mangrove conservation returns $3 in community benefits.

So, why has funding historically been so low?

The problem isn't the ROI - it's how we've been counting it:

📊 Traditional conservation finance has focused narrowly on single outcomes, missing the complex yet much bigger picture of what mangroves actually deliver, from climate mitigation to fisheries support.

All our best science-based methodologies are for nothing if we can’t scale funding to apply them. So it’s vital that we encourage this more holistic (and realistic) approach to nature finance.

05/12/2025

🌊 Not all nature-based solutions protect coasts equally.

Reefs and mangroves can significantly reduce wave heights and coastal flood risk, but their effectiveness depends on a complex mix of ecological and physical factors.

To understand their true protective value, we must look beyond their presence and examine the conditions that shape how they function.

🪸 Healthy coral reefs with steep foreshores, high rugosity, and wide reef flats dissipate far more wave energy than degraded reefs.

🌱Mangroves with dense canopies, robust root systems, and sufficient forest width slow waves dramatically.

By recognising these drivers of effectiveness, we can:
✅ Build more accurate coastal risk assessments
✅ Strengthen adaptation and resilience planning
✅ Inform insurance products that reflect real-world protective benefits
✅ Prioritise restoration where it matters most

Read the full study➡️ https://ow.ly/sHTL50XzVEZ

05/12/2025

Bivalves l Bivalvia
Bivalves are a group of freshwater and marine mollusks with bilaterally symmetric and laterally compressed bodies encased in a characteristic two-part shell. They belong to the class Bivalvia, a term coined by Linnaeus (1758) from two Latin words, bis (two) and valvae (leaves of a door). These mollusks also lack heads and even the characteristic molluskan organs, such as radula and odontophore.

Read: https://animalfact.com/bivalves/

05/12/2025

Teleost l Teleostei
Teleosts, constituting the largest infraphylum of ray-finned fishes (Teleostei), are distinguished from other bony fish by their movable premaxilla (jaw bone) and specialized jaw musculature. They can protrude their jaws outward, a feature that enhances their feeding capabilities. Additionally, their tail anatomy is unique, with the upper and lower lobes being almost equal in size (homocercal), unlike other fish.

Read: https://animalfact.com/teleost/