BUTUAN CITY — The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Caraga has led a multi-stakeholder effort to revive the Lake Mainit Development Alliance (LMDA), amid growing concerns over the declining status of pijanga or tank goby (𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘨𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘨𝘪𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘴), a key freshwater species in Lake Mainit.

DA-BFAR Caraga, together with national government agencies, provincial and local government units, and fisherfolk representatives, convened a Technical Working Group (TWG) Workshop on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the VCDU Prince Hotel, aimed at strengthening coordination for the sustainable management of Lake Mainit.

Declining stocks, growing pressures

Municipal representatives cited persistent challenges affecting Lake Mainit, including unsustainable fishing practices, overfishing, receding water levels, siltation, agricultural run-off, and unresolved municipal water boundaries—factors that continue to degrade critical habitats for pijanga.

Ongoing pressures have led to a drop in fish abundance and catch per unit effort (CPUE), reflecting reduced stock biomass and the risk of overfishing, while uncoordinated management across municipalities has limited enforcement of fisheries regulations, threatening the lake’s ecological balance and local food security.

Senior aquaculturist and project leader Joyce M. Baclayo of the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) reported that recent assessments reveal several fisheries performance indicators have reached or exceeded reference limits—signaling that key fishery resources are under stress and require close monitoring and management intervention.

Legal framework, baywide management emphasized

Atty. Leoderico Avila Jr., executive director of the Lanuza Bay Development Alliance (LBDA), served as resource person, addressing legal and institutional gaps in aquatic resource management.

Avila highlighted the importance of grounding lake governance in existing laws, citing Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code, Republic Act 10654 on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code, which mandates LGUs to manage and protect fishery resources within their jurisdictions.

“Given the lake’s challenges, these laws must guide action, as environmental protection is also a legal obligation,” said Atty. Avila, noting that abiding by regulatory compliance is central to sustaining aquatic ecosystems.

Avila also underscored the role of baywide management approaches in managing shared aquatic resources, stressing the importance of community-based fisheries management, inter-agency coordination, and habitat protection.

Alliance reactivation gains support

Following the discussions, members of the Technical Working Group agreed to move forward with the reactivation of the LMDA to strengthen inter-municipal coordination, improve data-sharing, and enhance stakeholder engagement for the long-term management of the lake.

Next steps include consultations with institutional experts, comparative studies on fish stocks and environmental conditions from past to present, ground validation activities, and coordination with agencies such as the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), following the alliance’s inactivity in recent years.

As the fourth largest and deepest inland freshwater lake in the Philippines, Lake Mainit remains vital for biodiversity and local livelihoods, serving as a lifeline for the communities that depend on it. Stakeholders stressed that revitalizing the LMDA is a crucial step toward safeguarding the lake’s resources for present and future generations.###