Effect of fishing on the distribution and abundance of ontogenetic shifters

Continuing increase in fishing effort seriously affects fishery catch in the Philippines.  As a consequence, catch and perhaps abundance of fishes are reduced significantly.  This alarming situation prompts initiatives to explore new insights for fisheries management.  Small scale fishing gears in the Philippines heavily target fishes at nearshore habitats.  Some of these fishes are ontogenetic shifters, i.e., juvenile fish growing at mangroves to adult size subsequently move to seaward deeper reef habitats.  This study examines the effect of fishing on the assemblage, abundance and size structure of ontogenetic shifters in selected Philippine reefs adjacent to mangrove areas but which are subjected to various levels of fishing pressure. Both fishery dependent and fishery independent methods were utilized for this study such as survey interview with fishers and fish visual census, respectively.  Initial results of the study stress the importance of gear regulation as a simple yet sound basis for sustainable fisheries together with other synergistic management strategy such as protecting reef-mangrove habitat continuum. Keywords: Ontogenetic shift, Artisanal Fisheries, Habitat Connectivity, Fisheries Management