Design and Operation of “Siklob”, a Mechanised Falling Gear Operated in Northern Iloilo, Philippines

Abstract

Fisheries in the Philippines is multispecies, and this is seen with the wide variety of fishing gears used in major and minor fishing grounds in the country. These gears constantly face modification and development to improve catch quality, quantity, and overall efficiency. This study investigated the features of “siklob”, a mechanised falling gear operated along the municipal waters of Northern Iloilo, Philippines. Some coastal residents claimed that fishers use fine mesh nets for this gear, and this was because of some incidences of the capture of very small fish. Results of this study, however, indicate that the mesh size of nettings used for “siklob” is 4.35 cm, which is above the minimum set by the national law (3 cm). The gear is operated offshore, in a fishing vessel, with lights and fish-finding devices. The catch included an array of pelagic to benthic species, with Sardinella gibbosa (Bleeker, 1849) as the top species. The catch per unit effort values for two fishing operations were 17.40 kg.cast-1 and 16.5 kg.cast-1, respectively. If a management plan for the gear is to be implemented in the area, it would be necessary first to study the spawning seasons of commercially important species and impose closed fishing seasons. Before any attempt to ban or control the use of the gear, it is necessary first to understand the gear design, performance, and selectivity.