Michael Jeriel Bersaldo | Marlyn Llameg | Pedro Avenido
The mangrove clam (Pegophysema philippiana) commonly called imbao in Davao region is ubiquitous in coastal areas and one of the most sought-after seafood delicacies in the Philippines. The gleaning of imbao supports the livelihood of coastal communities in Davao region. In 2010, assessment of mangrove clam was conducted in Davao region to determine its fishery status and was found out to be over-exploited. As a result, a policy was instituted to regulate the harvest of imbao. Recent reports of unsustainable harvest of imbao in Davao region led to a new assessment to determine its status. Results revealed that mangrove clam was abundant in all study areas which would imply that gleaners were still able to collect clams to sustain their livelihood, but smaller mangrove clams were collected in Davao del Sur (3.2 cm) compared to Davao Oriental (4 cm) and Davao Occidental (4.2 cm). These findings imply that gleaners in Davao del Sur were not strictly following the size regulation policy. If left unchecked, this can lead to severe decline of mangrove clams in Davao del Sur based on our investigation. The establishment of a policy is for the sustainable management of its wild stock which could directly impact the fishers’ livelihood. However increased education and awareness of gleaners could facilitate their acceptance of a fishery management policy
ISSN 2984-7125 (Online)
ISSN 2244-4432 (Print)
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