Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes

Mark Nell Corpuz

doi:10.3153/AR26028

EN

Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes

Abstract

Native freshwater fishes in the Philippines are experiencing sustained population declines due to overexploitation, habitat degradation, invasive species, hydrological alteration, and weak regulatory enforcement. This review synthesized conservation management initiatives for commercially important indigenous taxa, including gobies (Glossogobius spp.), silver therapon (Leiopotherapon plumbeus), lobed river mullet (Cestraeus plicatilis), freshwater sardine (Sardinella tawilis), giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis) in Taal Lake, native catfish (Clarias macrocephalus), sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis), and tropical eels (Anguilla spp.). A structured literature synthesis of peer-reviewed publications and grey literature was conducted to evaluate current regulatory, habitat-based, and aquaculture-supported interventions. Existing measures include closed fishing seasons, gear restrictions, sanctuary establishment, export controls for eel juveniles, and hatchery-based conservation breeding for selected species. Although captive propagation has been technically achieved for silver therapon, giant trevally, and native catfish, most programs remain fragmented and weakly integrated with habitat restoration and stock assessment frameworks. Watershed degradation, aquaculture expansion, and invasive species continued to constrain the recovery of wild populations. The review identified critical gaps in long-term monitoring, population dynamics data, and implementation of fish-based indices of biotic integrity for ecological assessment. Strengthening inter-agency coordination, institutionalizing conservation-oriented breeding, enforcing harvest controls, and adopting watershed-scale habitat rehabilitation were essential to reverse population declines. The findings provided a scientific basis for refining national inland fisheries restoration programs and aligning conservation policy with biodiversity protection and food security objectives.

Keywords

Ethical Statement

The methodology of the study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the Bataan Peninsula State University.

Thanks

The author is grateful for the scholarship granted by the Philippine Department of Science and Technology through the Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resources Development Program. The study is also supported and partially funded by the BPSU Research and Development Office. Appreciation is accorded to the anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Freshwater Ecology, Fisheries Management

Journal Section

Review Article

Authors

Mark Nell Corpuz ^*
0000-0002-2582-0772
Philippines

Early Pub Date

September 14, 2026

Publication Date

-

Submission Date

March 1, 2026

Acceptance Date

May 25, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: Advanced Online Publication

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3153/AR26028

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA86XG89AX

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Corpuz, M. N. (2026). Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes. Aquatic Research, Advanced Online Publication, 356-375. https://doi.org/10.3153/AR26028

AMA

1.Corpuz MN. Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes. Aquat Res. 2026;(Advanced Online Publication):356-375. doi:10.3153/AR26028

Chicago

Corpuz, Mark Nell. 2026. “Conservation Management Initiatives for Philippine Commercially Important Native Freshwater Fishes”. Aquatic Research, no. Advanced Online Publication: 356-75. https://doi.org/10.3153/AR26028.

EndNote

Corpuz MN (September 1, 2026) Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes. Aquatic Research Advanced Online Publication 356–375.

IEEE

[1]M. N. Corpuz, “Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes”, Aquat Res, no. Advanced Online Publication, pp. 356–375, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.3153/AR26028.

ISNAD

Corpuz, Mark Nell. “Conservation Management Initiatives for Philippine Commercially Important Native Freshwater Fishes”. Aquatic Research. Advanced Online Publication (September 1, 2026): 356-375. https://doi.org/10.3153/AR26028.

JAMA

1.Corpuz MN. Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes. Aquat Res. 2026;:356–375.

MLA

Corpuz, Mark Nell. “Conservation Management Initiatives for Philippine Commercially Important Native Freshwater Fishes”. Aquatic Research, no. Advanced Online Publication, Sept. 2026, pp. 356-75, doi:10.3153/AR26028.

Vancouver

1.Mark Nell Corpuz. Conservation management initiatives for Philippine commercially important native freshwater fishes. Aquat Res. 2026 Sep. 1;(Advanced Online Publication):356-75. doi:10.3153/AR26028