A Butanding Enters the Batangas River

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It was a clear November night. A tiny banca bobbed silently along the Calayo River in Nasugbu, Batangas. Mandoy swung his carbide torch, probing the deep darkness for those elusive swarms of krill known locally as alamang.

Suddenly a giant shadow approached from beneath. ‘Shark!’ thought Mandoy, instinctively grabbing a paddle to defend himself.

With great relief the fisherman realized it was no regular shark, but of the gentle kind locals had seen cruising the coasts of Nasugbu for years. In the river with him, a 15-foot long whale shark was feeding on krill. What began as just another fishing trip turned out to be the first recorded instance of a Butanding entering a freshwater body in the Philippines. Will wonders never cease?

When we hear of whale sharks, we usually think of Donsol in Sorsogon, still the largest known seasonal aggregation on earth. Interestingly, more and more sightings are now being reported in Nasugbu and Anilao in Batangas, as well as in other parts of the archipelago.

Discovered by Sir Andrew Smith off South Africa in 1828, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the world’s largest fish, growing over 40-feet long. Along with the basking and megamouth shark, it is one of only three planktivorous or filter-feeding sharks. Despite its immense size and a mouth wide enough to swallow a five-foot tall person tip to toe, the whale shark is quite harmless to humans.

“Locals say that Butanding have plied these coasts for generations,” notes WWF Project Manager Paolo Pagaduan, a coastal resource management expert. “But never have they stayed more than a few days in one area. Here in Hamilo Coast, the Butanding stayed for over three weeks – according to local fishermen, the first time they ever did so.”

Hamilo Coast: Bringing Back the Big Fish

Two-and-a-half hours south of Manila are the 13 sea coves of Hamilo Coast. Once a refuge for blast fishermen, these 13 fingers of land are now a unique eco-tourism project of SM Investments Corporation (SMIC). To help sustain the area’s ecological biocapacity while allowing measured economic development, WWF partnered with SMIC to preserve Nasugbu’s natural resource base.

The effects of vigorous coastal resource management efforts, including mangrove reforestation, the installation of giant clams and coral reef protection, are clearly in evidence.

Scores of brightly-coloured reef fish, from vividly-hued shoals of fusiliers to herds of ghostly batfish, are gradually returning to the coast’s burgeoning coral reefs.

“It’s not just the reef fish. Ten kilometers out, local fishermen are reportedly landing more pelagics: yellowfin tuna, blue and black marlin, trevally (talakitok) and Spanish mackerel (tangigue). Since this attracts fishing boats from all over, local Bantay Dagat patrols must remain doubly vigilant. Just last month we were graced by a dozen baby manta rays frolicking in three feet of water – that’s not something you see every day.” recalls Pagaduan.

The presence of large filter feeders such as whale sharks, manta rays and even a beached seven-meter long Bryde’s whale in 2007 could indicate the return of a strong food base. The creatures are probably attracted to the swarms of krill or plankton that feed on the nutrient-rich runoff from nearby Calayo River.

In the weeks preceding the survey, several whale sharks were seen swimming every day in five feet of water, dorsal and tailfins sticking out of the water like mottled pennants.

A Mission to Educate

Says Pagaduan, “The Philippines sits at the apex of the earth’s Coral Triangle. Nasugbu is at the very mouth of one of its top spots - the Verde Passage, once cited as the center of the world’s reef fish biodiversity. Thus it becomes all the more crucial to restore the productivity of this coastline that for decades was degraded by blast and cyanide fishing.”

Through WWF and the local government, Bantay Dagat units were reactivated to purge the coasts of illegal fishers. Awareness campaigns are aimed at fishing communities and do not merely tell illegal fishermen to stop – they explain in simple and blunt detail how destructive practices unravel the marine ecosystems and wipe out their major source of protein.

The return of the Butanding, rays and large fish, as well as the forthcoming entry of major tourism investments, have only strengthened the local community’s resolve to stamp out destructive fishing practices. Their efforts are obviously paying off, with fish yields on the rise.

Says Manila Southcoast Development Corporation Vice-President Jojo Joson, “A healthy, well-protected marine environment means cleaner water and far more colourful coral reefs – something we wish to offer to all guests. Together with WWF and the local communities, we shall continue to pursue our promise of responsible stewardship.”

Adds WWF-Philippines Vice-Chairman Lory Tan, “WWF’s work in Hamilo Coast deals with far more than simple reef rehabilitation – what we want is for all Filipinos, present and future, to enjoy healthy seas and a steady, sustainable supply of seafood. Living in harmony with nature does not mean that we never take from it. It requires us, however, to understand when it is time to give back. And to willingly do so, for it is the right thing to do.”

source- WWF Philippines