The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Negros Oriental is urging local governments in the province to spearhead and fund training on marine mammal stranding for a seamless response.
BFAR can facilitate the training but lacks the resources, its provincial chief Florencia Mepaña said on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
“We cannot do it alone as training requires inviting experts on marine mammal stranding as resource speakers, not to mention other logistical requirements,” Mepaña said.
“Dr. Lemuel Aragones, who heads the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network (PMMSN), is willing to share his expertise and we can invite him over,” she added.
Mepaña stressed the need for a unified response among local government units (LGUs), agencies, the private sector, and the communities to ensure that proper protocols on marine mammal stranding are followed.
She highlighted the importance of strengthened cooperation and collaboration among the LGUs and other stakeholders especially those along the Tañon Strait, which is a protected seascape and is rich in marine biodiversity.
During the recent mass stranding of dolphins in Tanjay City and Bais City, it was noted that there appeared to be a lack of coordination among those who responded, resulting in different accounts of the incident.
Eight pantropical spotted dolphins were found dead in mangrove areas in the two adjacent cities and were believed to belong to the same pod that got stranded in late January.
Dr. Melanie Pescadilla, Bais City veterinarian, reported that four of these dolphins died of drowning secondary to lung trauma caused by a strong blasting sound.
Pescadilla said there was no way to determine the cause of death of the dead dolphins in Tanjay City as coastal residents burned the carcasses, which were already decomposed.
Aragones, meanwhile, said more volunteers need to be capacitated as PMMNS’s trained volunteers have either retired or relocated.
He underscored the importance of the communities in protecting their marine resources considering that they also directly benefit from them.
“Besides, law enforcement authorities cannot be in one place all the time hence coastal residents can act as front-liners,” he added.
Authorities say there are many reasons for marine mammals to beach themselves and some practices may help reduce these incidents.
Mepaña said protection of their natural habitat, strict law enforcement against human activities such as illegal net fishing that results in entanglement, and immediate response to any kind of distress can minimize dolphin stranding.*PNA