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IN a country with more than 7,000 islands, most of the population is naturally dependent on fish and other bounties of the sea. Fresh seafood is often readily available and is an integral part of the Filipino diet.
It, therefore, comes as a shock to find out that the Philippines will be importing more fish to satisfy the growing demands of the population amid declining fisheries stock in the county.
All fingers point to an extremely stressed and exploited environment.
According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, its national stock-assessment program showed that 10 of the 13 fishing grounds that were mapped are “very heavily exploited” with more than 70 fishermen per square kilometer. The fisheries subsector has been reporting declines in fish catch in the past two years, and because fish and other seafood constitute the majority of the protein needs of most Filipinos, the government is struggling to meet the population’s demand for fish.
This situation illustrates the fact that changes in population size, including rate of growth and distribution, have far-reaching impacts on the environment and, consequently, on development prospects.
