Fishers’ Perspectives: the Drivers Behind the Decline in Fish Catch in Laguna Lake, Philippines

Aquatic ecosystems are strongly affected by global change. Fishers hold local ecological knowledge (LEK) that is especially relevant for improving our understanding of aquatic experience major environmental changes while also providing crucial ecosystem services. This research explores the perceptions in Laguna Lake (Philippines) among fisherfolks. In 2019, we conducted 30 semi-structured interviews with fisherfolks up to 60 years’ experience. They reported catching 31 fish species and one shrimp genus as a staple food income source, more than one-third being exotic or introduced. The noted repeated kill events dramatic their catch such fewer smaller fish. Also noticeable were widespread knifefish, comparably newly introduced species, fact all native be less often caught now past. included reduced talilong (mullet), dalag (snakehead), ayungin (silver perch). Locals emphasized various drivers behind these changes, which linked another complex interrelationships. Invasive deterioration habitats, increased water turbidity cited main drivers. Interviewees highlighted an additional link between declining catches loss plant diversity, has been understudied not focus regional policy efforts. empirical evidence provided enhances earlier existing scientific this well highlights importance contributions coming from different systems.