J. zyxwvutsrqpo Appl. Ichthyol. zyxwvutsrq 10 (1994), 82-95 Q 1994 Blackwell Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin zyxwvut ISSN 0175-8659 zyxwvutsrqpon Received: February 27, 1993 Accepted: December I, 1993 Yield estimates, catch, effort and fishery potential of the reef flat in Cape Bolinao, Philippines By W. L. CAMPOS, A. G. C. DEL NORTE-CAMPOS and J. W. MCMANUS Fish Stock Assessment, Collaborative Research Support Program (FSA-CRSP), Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Summary Catch, fishing effort and yield estimates of the Cape Bolinao reef flat fishery in Lingayen Gulf, Philippines are provided, based on data collected from Ma 1987 to April 1988. The dynamics of the a high rofuction in s ite of heavy fishin pressure. However, yield comparisons with those of other reef fisgeries in the Inlo-Pacific region, akng with characteristics of the catch and the use of multiple gear types, suggest that current extraction rates should not be increased. dominants ecies, the rabbitfish Siganusfatscescens, suggest t zyxwvutsrq rlat such fisheries are capable of maintaining Introduction Coral reefs supply a substantial portion of the total fish catch in developing countries. In the Indo-Pacific region, the estimated contributions of coral reef fishes to total catch are 18-25 zyxwvutsrqpo % in West Sabah, Malaysia (MATHIAS and LANGHAM 1978) and 8-20 % in the Philippines (ALCALA 1981). The rather wide range in the Philippines reflects differences in reef profile, condition and degree of protection of the reef systems in the country (ALCALA and GOMEZ 1985). Recent estimates of reef fisheries production in the Philippines amount to 9-10 % of total marine finfish production (PAGDILAO et al. 1990). Most reef fisheries in the Philippines are considered to be overexploited (WHITE 1984; MCMANUS 1988), mainly because of the continuing growth of human coastal populations dependent primarily on nearshore, readily-accessible reef resources as their main source of livelihood. This underlines the importance of assessing and managing the country’s reef fisheries in particular, and similarly exploited systems in general. The high fish diversity and network of ecological interactions characteristic of reef ecosystems necessitate the development of multispecie stock assessment models (LARKIN and GAZEY 1982; KIRKWOOD 1982). This is especially true since single-species models developed for temperate waters are under question and are even less appropriate in assessing tropical fisheries (PAULY 1982). Moreover, the use of several different gear types (passive and active) in artisanal fisheries dictates the need to examine tropical fish stocks in the context of both multispecies and multigear scenarios. This paper presents estimates of catch, fishing effort and fishery yield from a multiple gear reef flat fishery in Bolinao Municipality, Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. Based on these results, a preliminary assessment is given of the fishery potential in the study area. Materials and methods The study area and its fisheries are discussed in MCMANUS et al. (1992). The Bolinao reef complex is located on the southwestern tip of Lingayen Gulf in northwestern Luzon, Philippines (Fig. 1). The coralline area extends to the Hundred Islands in the east, covering U. S. Copyright Clearance Center Code Statement: 01 75-8659/94/1002-0082 $10.50/0