Apo Island
Describe how fishing has changed at Apo Island, and the direct and indirect effects on people's lives.
To the natives of Apo Island the ocean represents an irreplaceable source of food and income. These natives have built their entire community and way of life around fishing the rich seas which surround their island paradise. The fish that the men of Apo Island catch each day provide the vast majority of nourishment received by both themselves and their families, as well as a source of income through the sale of the excess catch. The beauty of the surrounding reefs and the abundant fish that populate them is breath-taking, a fact that is appreciated by the multitude of tourists who flock to the island each year to engage in snorkeling and scuba diving. Baring this in mind it is hard to believe that only thirty years ago overfishing, to accommodate an ever increasing population, and destructive fishing methods conducted by the native population nearly destroyed the fragile ecosystem that surrounds Apo Island. These reefs, and the marine life which populates them, only exist today thanks to the intervention of scientists from Negros Island's Silliman University who consulted with the natives of Apo Island to convince them to change their fishing methods and create marine preservations to promote a healthy marine ecosystem, an ecosystem that has flourished in the years since these measures were taken. In the 1970's the marine ecosystem surrounding Apo Island was nearly irreparably damaged by its native population due to the high impact fishing methods in which they engaged in to provide for the island's rapidly growing population. These methods included using dynamite or cyanide, using small mesh gill nets and deep sea trawling techniques, and finally a method known as muroami (a technique in which fish are chased into nets by pounding on coral with weighted lines) in order to increase catch rates. These high impact, high yield fishing techniques lead
To the natives of Apo Island the ocean represents an irreplaceable source of food and income. These natives have built their entire community and way of life around fishing the rich seas which surround their island paradise. The fish that the men of Apo Island catch each day provide the vast majority of nourishment received by both themselves and their families, as well as a source of income through the sale of the excess catch. The beauty of the surrounding reefs and the abundant fish that populate them is breath-taking, a fact that is appreciated by the multitude of tourists who flock to the island each year to engage in snorkeling and scuba diving. Baring this in mind it is hard to believe that only thirty years ago overfishing, to accommodate an ever increasing population, and destructive fishing methods conducted by the native population nearly destroyed the fragile ecosystem that surrounds Apo Island. These reefs, and the marine life which populates them, only exist today thanks to the intervention of scientists from Negros Island's Silliman University who consulted with the natives of Apo Island to convince them to change their fishing methods and create marine preservations to promote a healthy marine ecosystem, an ecosystem that has flourished in the years since these measures were taken. In the 1970's the marine ecosystem surrounding Apo Island was nearly irreparably damaged by its native population due to the high impact fishing methods in which they engaged in to provide for the island's rapidly growing population. These methods included using dynamite or cyanide, using small mesh gill nets and deep sea trawling techniques, and finally a method known as muroami (a technique in which fish are chased into nets by pounding on coral with weighted lines) in order to increase catch rates. These high impact, high yield fishing techniques lead