Sharks Fin

Sharks are one of the marine mammals which are not that fast to procreate. According to scientific studies, their physical growth is too slow. This makes grow slower compared to other marine species.

Sharks which is being shown on TV that they are one of the dangerous sea animals because most of the time they are seen eating humans. Thus, this inculcated to the minds of the people that sharks are one of the dangerous animals in the sea.

But do you know how much sharks are living at this very minutes? It has been aired recently that this sharks, because they were not specified as one of the endangered specie, their population is getting lower and lower.

In the Philippines, shark fin has a high demand on the market. The shark fin is being offered on class A restaurants. The fins are cooked into soup.

Blue-Violet Crab

It was my firs time to see this crab color: blue-violet. Here in our place, they call this crab "foreigner" because of its unusual color.

Most of the people here don't want to cook and eat this crab, though it is edible, some of the people think this type of crab is a human flesh eater.

The size of this crab is the same with that dotted one and with orange color when cooked. It has also flat and long arms and they just appear when rainy season begins.

This type crab, actually, is not poisonous, I know, because we've tried to cook and ate it. Well the taste is the same with the other crabs and only the color differs.

Well, if you have some info about this crab, then I think is your responsibility to share it to the world especially for those people living in sure line who are depending their livelihood on their catch.

Stingray At the Shoreline

Just recently I visited a friend living at the shoreline. I arrived in their place at around 5 o'clock in the afternoon. I was amazed, some of our friends are already there.

We had some chit chats, reminiscing college days and the fun we had. After a few more minutes, we decided to go fishing.

We brought out the fishing net and some other fishing materials to be used. I know there are sizes of fishing nets to be used in some areas like the shoreline areas. The whole of the net should is being regulated here to protect other small fishes not to be caught.

Fishing is one of the source of food and income in the place and is normal to see fishermen with different catch. Around 200 0r 300 meters away from the shoreline, there bamboo tress piled in a rectangular manner. They called here "baklag" where sea shells (i don't know the name). After a couple of months this "baklag" is harvested.

The net we used is operated only by two master fisherman. Each is holding both end while walking up to shore. Fishes are taken off the water up to the shore. My other friend and I started to put down the net in the breast water level and started to pull it through the shore.

The net, our friend told us it about 50 meters long and it will be heavy when pulled and he's right. We called another two member of the group to accompanies us in pulling the net to the shore.

On this first attempt, we caught an stingray with around 24 inches in diameter. The fisher who are watching came closer to see what we caught and they told us we were lucky to catch such fish. The other fisherman suggested the best recipe to be cooked with.

Some of my friend and I knew that stingray is an endangered specie already, but some of friends and the fishermen watching us are hesitant to cook the stingray. And so, the stingray was cooked with coconut milk.

Diminishing Endangered Species

Though there are already laws protecting these endangered species in the coastal environment, there's no guarantee that people in the coastal area will follow these rules. The fact that these species continue to be caught and eaten if not being sold for other purposes, the number of endangered species continue to diminish.

This is because more of the near shore communities do not really understood what is meant by endangered species or if they already knew, the implementing bodies within the communities do not enough funds to implement the rules.

Some of the coastal environment where people living under poverty level do not even care a bit on rules of endangered species. For example, the fisherman has caught that particular specie, instead of letting it go, the fisherman prefer to bring it home to be served later on the table for dinner.

Just like the sea turtle, while already covered by the endangered species law is still being caught and cooked, that according to the community the meat is good and as delicious as the other sea creatures being caught. The shell of this animal is fabricated and used as comb, hair pins and more.

One thing problem while these endangered species continue to diminish is that there's no enough educational program that will alter the notion especially in the near shore communities about these species not to be caught again.

As an ordinary individual, whether you are living near the shore or kilometers away from shore, you can make a contribution to help preserve these endangered species. Think of something of how you will help preserve the environment, following the rules is one good thing.

Japanese Fishing Company Invasion

Fishing really plays an important role in this community. A Japanese fishing company has made its first move to expand the business by initiating moves to enter the Philippines coastal fishing area.

I view of these, since there are numerous Filipino fishermen who are getting and relying from these coastal areas, some cause oriented fisher folks organization rallied to condemn the Philippines Government to cancel the agreement bet ween this Japanese fishing company.

Up to this moment, fisher folk from the northern part of central Luzon are worried of the possibilities that their depleting fishing ground might totally be eradicated after years of harvesting fish of this Japanese fishing company.

The Philippine Government seems to overlook this part. Most of the Filipino fisher folks used only "bancas" and some almost dilapidated "troll" in harvesting fishes. Their machinery will be in no way could compete with that of sophisticated and highly mechanical fishing boats of the Japanese fishing company.

The argument on the matter is still ongoing, and let us see what will happen next.