About Us
Center for Limnological, Aquatic Biodiversity and Mariculture Studies (CLABMS)
Pursuant to Cebu Technological University (CTU) Board Resolution No. 08, s. 2016 titled,” A Resolution Approving the Creation of the Center for Limnological Aquatic Biodiversity and Mariculture Studies in CTU San Francisco Campus, Camotes, Cebu” cited the focus of the center: on biodiversity studies, ecological statuses, anthropogenic activities, including behaviors of the inland waters which are essential in providing the data for the formulation of management policies and protection of aquatic resources.
Furthermore, the aforementioned center would be a collaborative undertaking in response to the country’s goals in preserving marine life. Its programs or activities are aimed to aid the country’s problems such as: food shortage, degradation of fishery products and extinction of habitats due to extraction, sedimentation, and other anthropogenic activities.
VISION
CLABMS envisions to conduct mariculture studies of marine organisms for food sufficiency and livelihood adoption of all marine waters of Camotes Island and its neighboring provinces.
MISSION
Mandated to conduct researchers on biodiversity, water quality and socio-cultural studies which serve as data for policy and management formulation options and conduct aquaculture strategies and developmental studies of different plants and animals for sustainable, livelihood, food and environment.
GOALS
CLABMS aimed to make freshwater, estuarine areas and marine waters of Camotes Islands are a healthy environment for the organisms to live to make it sustainable properly managed for livelihood, research activities, tourism, food consumption and mariculture industries
OBJECTIVES
The CTU- Center for Limnological, Aquatic Biodiversity and Mariculture Studies (CLABMS) focus to:
conduct researches on water quality and monitoring socio-cultural activities along with the different disciplines;
disseminate the results of the researches about different flora and fauna, formulated IEC materials, and publications;
provide data for policy recommendations and management options of the freshwaters, estuaries, and the whole marine waters of Camotes Islands;
establish linkages with other institutions, individuals and groups, local, national and international levels to share resources and information; and
develop mariculture studies of plants and animals using environment-friendly technologies like cages, fishponds, tanks, rafts, monoline methods, and other aquaculture ventures.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Founded in 2016. The Center for Limnological, Aquatic Biodiversity and Mariculture Studies (CLABMS) is located in Cebu Technological University San Francisco Campus (CTU–San Francisco). The aforementioned campus is one of the nine external campuses of the University. It is strategically located in the Northern Poblacion of the Municipality of San Francisco, Province of Cebu. The municipality of San Francisco is one of the four municipalities comprising the Islands of Camotes, which is at the northeastern part of mainland Cebu; specifically located east of mainland Cebu, southwest of Leyte Island, and north of Bohol Island. Camotes Islands is endowed with aquatic natural landscapes including Lake Danao, estuaries, waterfalls and cave waters where diverse flora and fauna abound. Some of these aquatic resources provide livelihood to the residents surrounding the area, as well as serve as tourist destinations to local and foreign tourists. As a DENR protected area, Camotes Islands abound with different species of Mangroves and Marine Sanctuaries providing food and resources to the people of Camotes.
Food Security and Poverty Alleviation are one of the thrusts of the Philippine government. Aquaculture is one of the important activities that can ensure such mentioned thrusts. With the richness of marine and freshwater resources, food can be secured, thus poverty can be alleviated. However, with the recent climatic changes, overfishing due to overpopulation, illegal fishing, man-induced environmental degradation and other anthropogenic activities, the decline of aquatic resources and biodiversity loss are substantially experienced.
The Camotes Sea is approximately located at 1240 to 1250 longitudes in the east and 100 to 110 latitude in the north. It is bounded on the North by the Camotes Islands, on the East by Leyte Island, on the south by Danajon Bank in Bohol, and on the west by Mainland Cebu. It covers a total area of 10,900 square kilometers with the deep off-shelf water of 9,000 square kilometers and depth ranging from 10-800 meters. The shelf in the south along with the north coast of Bohol covers about 1,400 square kilometers until Danajon Bank, with a depth ranging from 14 meters (BFAR Fisheries Profile 1996). The Camotes Sea is one of the rich fishing grounds in the country and fishing is the leading source of income. Diverse flora and fauna become the source of livelihood to many fisherfolks.
Lake Danao, on the other hand, is a picturesque freshwater inland body of water with an area of 649 hectares located in the Municipality of San Francisco. It is the largest and longest lake in the Visayas (Station profile of Carmen Lake Danao Fishery Complex/ Research Station for Freshwater Fisheries Development Zone, 1995). The lake is surrounded by six barangays out of 15 in this Municipality. It supplies water to the rice fields in Sitio Danao and Patabog. Its shoreline ranges from rocky to soft mud. The lake water is free from pollutants except for allochthonous materials. Ipomoea aquatica and Typha latifolia are the common flora that grow in the periphery of the lake, as well as Tilapia fish which originally abound the lake. It is a potential resource for food, social and economic activities to the people of Camotes. Presently, Lake Danao is one of the booming tourist attractions on the Island. Different economic activities are flourishing here.
At present, there is a decline in fish catch and other aquatic products. Prices of fishes and aquatic products are soaring high since the demand becomes higher but the supply becomes lesser. To lessen the impact of these problems, target fishes and other important resources need to be saved, conserved and preserved by culture and propagation activities to ensure the sustainability of their supply. Research on biodiversity, ecological status, anthropogenic activities, and many others are endeavors that need to be undertaken for the conservation and preservation of resources, and formulation of management and protection policies. Hence, the Center is created.
CONTACT INFORMATION
- Maximino R. Abejo III, MAEd
- maximinoabejo@ctu.edu.ph