Environmental group Oceana urged the Philippine government to immediately stop reclamation efforts in the historic Manila Bay, following the discovery of a new sardine species.
Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos belied claims that Manila Bay’s ecosystem is dying, saying that a new sardine species called Sardinella pacifica has been discovered in the body of water and other parts of the country.
The new species closely resembles Sardinella fimbriata, both species having lateral scales with a dark spot on the dorsal-fin origin.
“We appeal to President Rodrigo Duterte to stop all reclamation projects lined up in Manila Bay to protect marine life in the area,” Ramos said in a statement.
“This can be the legacy of your administration – that you were able to save the rich ecosystem of Manila Bay that carries national and natural heritage significance, especially with the discovery of this new sardine species in the Philippine waters,” she added.
To recall, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources initiated rehabilitation efforts at the polluted bay. Two large-scale reclamation projects have applied for necessary permits to develop portions of Manila Bay.
Manila Bay earlier identified by Japanese scientists as a spawning area of sardines and “one of the main fishing grounds of artisanal fisherfolk” by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
