Abundant biodiversity

Our class was asked to have a blog about protecting wet lands of the Philippines and the one assigned to me is Naujan lake.

When I read about Naujan lake, I feel a little disappointment because the human population around it do not care and protect the said lake. Also, I feel a little upset because I missed to see and experience in reality the beauty and hugeness of the Naujan lake.

The idea of Naujan lake I have read was, it is found in the northeast coast of the province of Oriental Mindoro on Mindoro Island. The lake is 14 kilometers long and 6 kilometers wide. The lake is home to rich ethnic and cultural diversity.  Naujan Lake is the fifth largest lake in the Philippines.

Naujan lake is a wet land rich in biodiversity. The lake is an important feeding or wintering ground for large numbers of ducks and other waterbirds such as herons, egrets, terns, rails and bitterns. The lake is rich in nutrients and supports a major fishery of both demersal and pelagic species. Most of the inhabitants of the region depend on the lake for their livelihood.

Because of the increase in the human population in the area, the demand on the lake's natural resources has grown rapidly. Fishing is intensive and there is continuing conflict between preserving the National Park for wildlife and development of the area for commercial and subsistence level activities by the local residents. 

October to December used to be the months when the catch was abundant, as water elevation would rise to the levels of the marshlands where fishes could hatch their eggs. It is also common practice during the rainy days for fishermen to drop their gill nets and screen traps right behind their houses, getting some catch for their meals at least. But since 2009, on these same months, the catch had been scarce.

As I was continue reading there was some issuances that include provisions for sustainable and equitable fishing. I was suddenly stopped reading and realized that our government were doing something protection against oppotunists people who abuses the beauty of the lake. Fishermen are completely aware of the prescribed fishing gears and the adverse consequences of illegal practices. The Fisheries Code iterates the penalty at Php 2,000.00 to Php 10,000.00 or one month and one day imprisonment to six months. The section, Obstruction of Defined Migration Paths, demands seven to 12 years imprisonment or a fine of Php 50,000.00 to Php 100,000.00, or both, for the offense of obstructing the migratory path of fishes coming to and fro between the lake and Tablas Strait.

As I conclude this blog, I realized that whatever body of water we have in this world or in our country we should care and protect it for this is also God's creation like us. 

If ever I will be given a chance to be in this place I will feel very happy because I experience and see in reality the beauty of the NAUJAN LAKE..