ERADICATING INVASIVE FISH SPECIES

ERADICATING INVASIVE FISH SPECIES

Dear Mr. President: There are about seven invasive fish species in the Philippines, namely Clown Knifefish, Eastern Mosquitofish, Thai Catfish (Clarias batrachus), African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), Rice Paddy Eel, Janitor Fish and various species of Tilapia. The Thai Catfish and the African Catfish should not be confused with our native Hito Catfish (Clarias Macrocephalus), also known as Bighead Catfish. All species of Tilapia found in the Philippines are invasive, but they have been around for so long, that most people think that they are native.

According to Microsoft Copilot, “an invasive species is one that is introduced to an ecosystem where it is not native, and it starts to cause harm to the environment, economy and human health. These species can disrupt local ecosystems by preying on native species, competing for resources, spreading diseases and altering habitats”. The most layman explanation is that they eat the young of the native species, thus displacing them.

Copilot also says that “invasive fish often thrive because they lack natural predators in their new environment, leading to a rapid population growth and significant ecological impact. They can affect biodiversity and the balance of aquatic ecosystems”. The sad part about this is that the invasive fish becomes the new predators, thus eliminating the weaker fish around them.

Mr. President, what is the government doing about these invasive fish species? As I understand it, there is supposed to be a National Invasive Species Strategy and Action Plan (NISSAP) that was formulated by the DENR, but so far, it has been difficult information online about what they are doing or what they have done. Again, quoting Copilot, NISSAP was developed “as part of the United Nations Environment Programme-Global Environment Facility (UNEP-GEF) project, aims to manage and control invasive species in production and protection forests”.

The efforts of NISSAP include risk assessments of introduced species in key lakes, screening non-native species for invasiveness, and recommending management strategies and control measures. Also quoting Copilot, the goal of NISSAP “is to protect native aquatic species and restore ecological balance in the country’s water bodies”. It seems however Sir, that the scope of NISSAP is limited to the lakes, therefore there might be a need for a separate program that will investigate our rivers.

It would appear Mr. President that NISSAP is one of the functions of the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMD) under the DENR. If that is so, then it is possible that the function of eradicating invasive species could be implemented by the same bureau that is also working for the protection and preservation of native species, not just for fish, but for all of flora and fauna. On this subject, it is worthwhile to note Sir, that many countries have already been successful in bringing back near extinct species to “endangered status” at the very least.

Perhaps Mr. President, you could organize a think tank that will study the econometrics of either eradicating or propagating Tilapia in the Philippines? Although Tilapia has become a major source of livelihood for those who are raising them, it is also known to affect the livelihood of those who are raising Milkfish in our lakes. What are the pros and cons? Which one is contributing more to the economy? Is it Tilapia or Milkfish? And if we decide to eradicate Tilapia, how do we do that?

Luckily Mr. President, the Clown Knifefish is edible, and so therefore there should be no problem about eating them “out of existence”. The Janitor Fish however is not edible, or at least, it is not palatable, therefore we must look for more creative ways to remove them from our lakes and rivers. Perhaps, aside from BMB and BFAR, you could also task both DOST and DTI to develop new products that could eventually remove them from our waterways? Perhaps as cat food or as organic fertilizers? IKE SENERES/10-29-2024