This report describes the present state of marine resources in several coastal barangays of Ibajay and Tangalan, Aklan (Philippines). Field data were obtained from rapid surveys conducted from July to September 1998. Recommendations based on analyses of the data will guide fisherfolk and other stakeholders, particularly the local government units, in their development plans for these neighboring municipalities. Both land and marine products in the area are mainly harvested for the local market. All coastal barangays are dependent on fishing for their livelihood. The medium-scale municipal fishery of Tangalan employs several passive (encircling gill net, bag net, fish corral) and active gears (baby purse seine) compared with the traditional fishing methods employed by Ibajay fishers. Pond aquaculture in mangrove areas is well-developed in Ibajay West (barangays Aquino and Ondoy) and in Tangalan. However, ownership of these ponds is limited to a few individuals and families, unlike in Barangay Bugtong Bato where informal ownership distributed among families has been the traditional rule. Nonetheless, the introduction of so-called environment-friendly methods of utilizing mangroves (e.g., aquasilviculture) and other shared coastal resources may seriously undermine the informal rights-based social structures in the barangays. Without proper rules and enforcement, the application of these methods may be misused, aggravating the already poor overall state of their coastal resources. Major problems affecting their fishing livelihood include siltation of nearshore waters due to illegal deforestation upland, encroachment of municipal fishing grounds by commercial and other fishers elsewhere, and the lack of capital to finance the fishery. Weak inter-organizational links among government and non-government organizations have hampered the implementation of solutions to these common problems in coastal barangays. For instance, a conflict between fishers from these neighboring municipalities over territorial boundaries of common fishing grounds in Pangayawan and Pungtod reefs has not been resolved over the years. Likewise, the introduction of aquasilviculture in mangrove areas may become a potent source of conflict among resource-users who maintain informal rights over the mangrove resource. The overall state of coastal resources in these municipalities is in immediate need of a unified plan to promote both their preservation and conservation. To achieve this end, a joint resource management council representing all resource-users from both municipalities must be organized and convened. To address the presently weak inter-organizational links among existing organizations, this joint council may provide a legitimate forum to identify, resolve, integrate, implement, and enforce guidelines on the common use of resources, both marine and inland. Low estimated yields from the reef fishery, conversion of mangroves for aquaculture beyond the allowable limit, a persistent conflict over fishing rights in several reefs offshore, the limited resources for seaweed and fish mariculture, and threats on existing traditional social structures by progressive resource-users are several issues that require thorough discussions to formulate popularly approved and acceptable management strategies. These strategies include community-based approaches of co-managing resources such as "no-take zones" (sanctuaries), ecotourism development, and livelihood schemes to mitigate, in part, the pressure of over-exploitation of fishery resources.

This manual includes the biology of crab (Scylla serrata, S. tranquebarica, and S. olivacea), and describes principles and procedures for spawning the mature crabs and rearing the zoea to ‘fly’ size crabs. It focuses on the hatchery rearing of S. serrata as the farming of this species is more economically viable than the two other species. The techniques may be modified depending on the conditions or problems encountered in a specific site.

Among the topics discussed in this 28-page manual are broodstock development and management, hatchery and nursery, health management and financial analyses of the breeding and seed production of the Asian catfish. This manual was published to disseminate science-based aquaculture technologies developed by AQD to assist catfish nursery and hatchery growers in producing high-quality fingerlings. Researchers in the field of fisheries, students and teachers could benefit from the information on the breeding and seed production of this important aquaculture commodity.

An extension manual describing biology, site requirement, grow-out operations, health management, harvest, post harvest handling and processing, and economic analysis.

The 32-page extension manual describes the biology, culture techniques and maintenance and mass propagation of 12 phytoplankton species used as live feed in marine hatcheries.

The manual provides developed and refined techniques for collection and transport of spawned eggs and larvae, as well as larval rearing. It also describes the necessary facilities for maintaining milkfish broodstock.

Guidelines on transporting broodstock, performing biopsy to determine sex of spawners, collecting and cleaning eggs, packing and transporting eggs to hatchery, incubating and hatching eggs, and packing and transporting of larvae are also provided in the manual.

The importance of nutritional quality of the diet in relation to the performance of the milkfish broodstock and quality of resulting eggs and larvae is also explained in the manual.

Broodstock feeds are enriched with vitamin C, beta-carotene, and other nutrients for better reproductive performance of broodstock and better egg and larval quality. It also offers formula to initially estimate the number of spawned eggs and determine the hatching rate.

The manual guides stakeholders and operators who are interested in setting up breeding facilities for milkfish.

A 24-page manual that introduces the carrageenan-producing seaweed Kappaphycus whose culture has spread from Jolo in Mindanao to at least 14 sites in the Visayas and Luzon. Four culture methods are presented: fixed off-bottom, raft long-line (single or multiple), hanging long line, and polyculture of seaweeds with carnivorous fishes.

The mangrove field guide is a 32-page field guide with a one page introduction on mangroves, followed by a key to mangrove genera and species (with colored pictures of the whole plant and plant parts), then a definition of important terms used in the key, species code for use during mangrove community structure, instructions on how to conduct mangrove community structure analysis plus the formulas for the different indices (relative density, dominance, frequency; importance value and species diversity) and a sample data sheet. The guide, measuring 9 cm x 14 cm, is printed on PVC material hence it can get wet, soaked or be left in the water for days.

The mangrove red snapper is among the high-value marine fishes with great potential for export. Snapper is important to coastal fishery and ideal for aquaculture particularly in Southeast Asia. Grow-out culture of snapper are described - pond culture and culture in cages inside the ponds. In the pond culture, the whole area can be maximized and the available natural food can be utilized by snapper. In rearing snapper in cages inside the pond, fish sampling and harvesting are easily done and also in preventing of disease infection and securing of fish stocks during flooding. In both culture methods a good site would have a mangrove buffer space about 20-100 m that lies between the ponds and the source of water like river or sea. Pond soil with a good water retention property is desirable for dike construction. Water supply should be adequate year-round, free from pollutants and run-off flooding. Pond supplies, labor and technology should be available on the selected site which is also accessible to markets with peaceful locale. The pond for growing snapper should be prepared well in order to promote good growth of fish, to minimize pollution, and prevents the proliferation of pathogens. Stocking of healthy and larger uniform size juveniles will mean higher survival, faster growth and shorter culture period. Proper handling of juveniles during harvest, size-grading, counting, packing, transport, acclimation and stocking should be observed and should be done during the cooler part of the day. Recommended juveniles for grow-out is about 20-100 g average body weight (ABW) and stocking densities of 5,000/ha in ponds, and at 5 pcs/m³ or 5,000 pcs/ha when stocked in cages inside the pond. During culture, good water quality is maintained and when necessary the cleaning of net cages, repair of dike leaks and seepages, and aeration are to be considered. Snapper dietary protein is about 48-50%. The following are the factors to consider in the feeding management of snapper: total stock (pcs), survival (%), ABW (g), feed rate (% biomass), feed type, feed size, feeding frequency and time. Economic analysis based on 0.422 ha pond shows that feeds accounted for 60-67% and juveniles contribute 23-25% of the variable cost. The feed conversion ratios, return on investments, payback period and discounted benefit-cost ratios are 2.5 and 2.6; 203 and 43%; 0.46 and 1.76 yr; 1.4 and 1.2 for culture of snapper in pond and culture in cages inside the pond, respectively, are likewise acceptable.

A 106-page guide is a user-friendly presentation of technical botanical description and illustrations of Philippine mangrove species in Panay Island, Guimaras and Aurora Province. Vegetative and reproductive structures of 34 mangrove species that are readily observed in the field are emphasized and presented in color photographs and as graphic icons. Also discussed: importance of mangroves; mangrove decline and legislation; conservation and rehabilitation; and mangrove-friendly aquaculture.