Isabela town officials back protection of ‘Ludong’ fish

By Freddie G. Lazaro

SAN MARIANO, Isabela –The municipal  government here announced its support for the initiative of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to preserve the endangered freshwater specie of “Ludong,” known as the “President’s fish.”

The fish species, which is nearly extinct, is presently thriving in the Cagayan River stretching along the towns of Isabela and in the Abra-Ilocos Sur River.

BFAR had issued Administrative Circular No. 247, a fishery regulation creating a closed season on the catching of endangered “Ludong” fish effective Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 every year. During the closed season period, all fishermen are prohibited from catching the “goby fry” of the Ludong specie along the Cagayan River and Abra- Ilocos Sur River.

However, San Mariano town’s councilor Didero Pascual, the committee chair on agriculture and fishery, said the LGU of San Mariano is now prohibiting the catching of “ludong” in the stretch of Cagayan River here.

He said the town’s agriculture office is closely monitoring the fishing activity of the local residents while the office is also making rounds of information campaigns on the features and rarity of “Ludong.”