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The p ospec s o in eg a ed mul i- ophic aquacul u e a ming
in Calape, Bohol o island di e si ica ion amids o global
changes (IsDA-GC)
Ma ia Danesa S. Rabia
*
, Gesila P. Paňa es, Joma i A. O illosa, Honey Jane Masca iňas,
Rio A. Nicano , Ch is ian Rolan C. Lau den, Ma jon A. Josol
College o Fishe ies, Bohol Island S a e Uni e si y, Calape, Bohol, Philippines
A icle published on June 03, 2025
Key wo ds:
Aquacul u e, Di e si ica ion, In eg a ed, Island, Global changes, Mul i
-
ophic
Abs ac
In in eg a ed mul i- ophic aquacul u e (IMTA), he by-p oduc s, such as was e om one aqua ic species,
se e as inpu s like e ilize s and ood o o he s, os e ing island di e si ica ion amids global changes. This
app oach eimagines and e-channels adi ional di e si ica ion p ac ices. The aim o his s udy is o
documen ac i i ies con ibu ing o island di e si ica ion in he ace o global changes, ocusing on he
ollowing indices: ishe olk p o iles, po en ials, and in-si u moni o ing and esou ce managemen . We
employed a mixed-me hods esea ch design o analyze bo h quali a i e and quan i a i e da a. Resul s ha e
shown om he p o ile o he esponden s majo i y (58.82%) alling be ween 35 and 50 yea s o age. The ac
ha all esponden s we e men (100%) and mos ocused on aquacul u e mean ha o po en ials, mos
concen a ed on nu ien ecycling and habi a enhancemen , while o es ima ed p oduc ion in si u, mos
dis inguished and sha ed bo h bangus and seaweeds, pa icula ly he eucheuma, whose es ima ed income
anged om 93-100,000.00 and 200-275,000.00, espec i ely, wi h he low o he ma ke ing channels. The
s udy also highligh s he island's ulne abili y o apid changes ha h ea en sus ainable ecosys em
de elopmen . The esul s sugges ha while he island ecosys ems a e suscep ible o he p essu es o a
g owing popula ion, hey play a c i ical ole in ecological es o a ion and conse a ion.
*
Co esponding Au ho : Ma ia Danesa S. Rabia ma iadane[email p o ec ed]u.ph
Jou nal o Biodi e si y and En i onmen al Sciences (JBES)
ISSN: 2220-6663 (P in ) 2222-3045 (Online)
Vol. 26, No. 6, p. 19-25, 2025
h p://www.innspub.ne
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In oduc ion
The inc easing demand o ish a ound he globe is
d i ing he globaliza ion o aquacul u e p ac ices.
The con en ional monocul u e sys ems ha e been
linked o nu ien con amina ion, habi a loss, and
dec eased biodi e si y as well as o he
en i onmen al p oblems. In o de o build a
sus ainable and balanced (Aslesen, 2009)
ecosys em, IMTA o e s a iable al e na i e by
mixing species om di e en ophic le els, such
as ish, shell ish, and seaweeds is encou aged as
combining eed and ex ac i e aquacul u e ha
also aims o p oduce ood p oduc ion me hods ha
inc ease he a m's economic ou pu while
p o iding bio-mi iga i e ad an ages o he ecology.
This app oach equi es a undamen al shi
(FAO/ICLARM/IRR, 2021) in how we de ine an
'aquacul u e a m' and unde s and i s ole wi hin an
ecosys em. The economic alue o he en i onmen al
and socie al bene i s p o ided by ex ac i e species
should be acknowledged and ac o ed in o he o e all
e alua ion o hese IMTA componen s. Addi ionally,
seaweeds and in e eb a es p oduced in IMTA
sys ems should be conside ed o nu ien and ca bon
ading c edi s.
Aquacul u e o ganic was e (Dauda e al., 2019) has
always been associa ed wi h limi ed ben hic
epe cussions; ne e heless, he e ha e also been
cases whe e he u iliza ion o in as uc u e as
subs a es and mild nu ien en ichmen ha e
esul ed in highe biodi e si y and wild species
abundance. The dual na u e o nu ien s-essen ial in
small amoun s bu po en ially pollu ing in excess-
mus be unde s ood and managed in o de o de elop
e ec i e ood p oduc ion sys ems. This allows
nu ien s o be ecap u ed in mode a ion while
main aining concen a ions ha suppo obus and
heal hy ecosys ems.
Indica o s such as species di e si y, coloniza ion
a es, abundance, g ow h, and ecosys em unc ions
ela ed o nu ien pa i ioning and ecycling, species
in e ac ions, and disease con ol could se e as
aluable me ics o assessing he pe o mance and
obus ness o hese sys ems.
Among all o ms o in eg a ed aquacul u e, ice- ish
a ming is likely one o he oldes , e lec ing a co-
e olu ion o ag icul u e and aquacul u e ha has
p ima ily aken place in Asia and has mo e ecen ly
expanded o o he egions (Halwa and Gup a,
2004). In his sys em, ice ields p o ide he
en i onmen and habi a o ish and o he aqua ic
animals, while he ish con ibu e o nu ien cycling
by eeding on in e eb a es and o he o ganic ma e
p oduced in hese looded ields. Rice- ish a ming
o en educes he need o chemical pes con ol,
he eby helping o p ese e biodi e si y. Addi ionally,
his p ac ice suppo s he use o na i e ish species.
In con as o i s widesp ead use in e es ial
sys ems, in eg a ed aquacul u e has been less
equen ly epo ed in ma ine en i onmen s.
Howe e , in ecen yea s, he concep o in eg a ed
aquacul u e has gained a en ion as a po en ial
s a egy o mi iga e he excess nu ien s and o ganic
ma e p oduced by in ensi e aquacul u e ac i i ies.
This has led o he de elopmen o in eg a ed mul i-
ophic aquacul u e (IMTA), whe e "mul i- ophic"
e e s o he in en ional inclusion o species om
di e en ophic le els o nu i ional oles wi hin he
same sys em (Chopin and Robinson, 2004). This
app oach is dis inc om adi ional polycul u e,
which may simply in ol e co-cul u ing di e en ish
species a he same ophic le el.
Fu he mo e, IMTA (Ba ing on e al., 2009) has
been de ined h ough pilo s udies in ma ine habi a s
ha in ol e he combined cul i a ion o ed species,
ypically ish, wi h ex ac i e species such as bi al es
and/o mac oalgae. This p ac ice can inc ease he
p oduc ion capaci y o a gi en si e, especially when
con en ional me hods ace limi a ions.
Consume s and o he s akeholde s in he coas al zone
a e demanding mo e sus ainable p ac ices due o he
expanding global use o coas al egions and he as
g ow h o ma icul u e. This p esen s an oppo uni y
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o in eg a ed ma icul u e. Howe e , he inclina ion
o specialized sys ems cen e ed on single species has
esul ed om he apid de elopmen o global
ma ke s, inc easing he p e alence o in ense
monocul u e ma ine a ming.
In eg a ed aquacul u e p ac ices in ma ine and
coas al en i onmen s a e no well known o ully
unde s ood, and hei po en ial o imp o e he
sus ainabili y o he aquacul u e sec o om an
ecosys em pe spec i e has no been ully explo ed,
despi e his end. This p esen s a signi ican
challenge.
Unde s anding how islands, wi h hei dis inc
ecosys ems and cul u es, adap o and mi iga e he
e ec s o global en i onmen al, economic, and social
shi s is a c i ical opic ha in ol es de eloping his
echnical documen , which aims o p o ide
comp ehensi e in o ma ion on cu en p ac ices and
he po en ial o in eg a ed aquacul u e in b ackish
and ma ine ecosys ems owa ds island di e si ica ion
in he mids o global changes.
This s udy aims o desc ibe and documen he
ac i i ies connec ed wi h in eg a ed mul i- ophic
aquacul u e (IMTA) in ma icul u e in Calape, Bohol.
Speci ically, i aims o assess he p o ile o he
ma icul u e ope a o s, issues and esou ces, and in-
si u as a s a egy o island di e si ica ion amids
global changes.
Ma e ials and me hods
This s udy used he mixed me hod esea ch design
ha includes bo h quali a i e and quan i a i e
esea ch designs. Speci ically, his s udy used he
explana o y sequen ial design (QUAN qual).
In his design, he esea ch i s begins wi h a
quan i a i e esea ch phase and explo es he da a o
he selec ed pa icipan s. Then, da a was analyzed,
and he in o ma ion was used o build a second
phase, which is he quali a i e phase (C eswell, 2015).
The esea ch aims o cha ac e ize he ac i i ies
conduc ed in in eg a ed mul i ophic aquacul u e and
his s udy was conduc ed in he island ba angays o
Calape, Bohol, speci ically in Pangangan and he
ma icul u e ope a o s in Calape, Bohol.
Two ypes o da a collec ion me hods we e used in
his s udy. The i s me hod was quan i a i e,
in ol ing su eys and ques ionnai es. The objec i e
was o ga he da a p o ile, issues and esou ces, and
in-si u moni o ing and esou ce managemen . Semi-
s uc u ed ques ionnai es ancho ed om SEAFDEC-
AQD, 2022 was used o p elimina y assessmen .
Pu posi e sampling was employed, ocusing on
ishe men as he p ima y subjec s. The ini ial su ey
ques ionnai es we e dis ibu ed (A iji, 2013) and
enhanced h ough a ace- o- ace in e iew. Da a we e
analyze using he desc ip i e s a is ics and o
quali a i e i is a anged using he SWOT analysis
and anked by hemes.
Fo e hical conside a ions, in o med consen was
ob ained om all pa icipan s o ensu e hey
unde s ood he s udy's pu pose and hei igh o
wi hd aw a any ime, including isks, bene i s,
eimbu semen , p ocesses, e c., o he anspa ency
o s ud. The con iden iali y o pa icipan s was s ic ly
main ained, wi h esponses being anonymized o
p o ec hei p i acy. Ins umen s and ma e ials a e
p ope ly ci ed and au ho ized by he au ho s/sou ces.
Resul s and discussion
P o ile o he ma icul u e ope a o s
The age ange o he esponden s was 25 o 50,
wi h he majo i y (58.82%) alling be ween 35 and
50 yea s o age. People in his age ange a e usually
hose who ac i ely pa icipa e in aquacul u e and
local decision-making. The ac ha all esponde s
we e men (100%) e lec s he his o ically male-
domina ed cha ac e o aquacul u e. The indings
show a no ewo hy deg ee o pa icipa ion,
especially in posi ions pe aining o he ma ke ing
and p ocessing o aquacul u e p oduc s.
Responden s' educa ional backg ounds anged
widely: 40% had inished elemen a y school, 35%
had inished seconda y school, and 25% had
comple ed pos seconda y educa ion, which
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included echnical o oca ional aquacul u e
aining a e shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1.
Table 1. P o ile o he ma icul u e o ope a o s in
es ablished ma icul u e pa k in Calape, Bohol as
po en ials o IMTA owa ds island di e si ica ion
Desc ip ion
F equency
Pe cen age (%)
Age
Below 25
25-35
36-50
Abo e 50
5
3
20
6
14.70
8.82
58.82
17.64
34
100.00
Gende
Male
emale
34
100.00
0.00
34
100.00
Educ. Backg ound
P ima y
Seconda y
Te ia y
14
12
8
41.17
35.29
23.53
34
100.00
Occupa ion
Aquacul u e
/ ishe ies
Seaweeds a ming
shell ish collec ion
local ade o e ail
22
8
2
2
64.70
23.53
5.88
5.88
34
100
Expe ience
Below 5
5-10
11 abo e
14
11
9
41.17
32.35
26.47
34
100.00
Fig. 1.
Demog aphic assessmen o he ma icul u e
ope a o s including al u as g oup o company
ep esen a i e
The majo i y o esponde s (65%) wo ked p ima ily
in aquacul u e o ishe ies, wi h he o he pa icipan s
engaged in adjacen ields like seaweed a ming
(15%), clam collec ion (10%), and local ading. The
esul s a e suppo ed in he s udy o Salayo e al.
(2012) ha ma icul u e c ea es social gains h ough
li elihoods and ish supply a low p ices and he
exis ing o p o ile o he ma icul u e ope a o s can
con ibu e on he success o ishe ies managemen in
egula ed ma icul u e sys ems.
Addi ionally, a ollow assessmen on he expe ience
and in ol emen in IMTA, abou 55% o
esponden s we e amilia wi h he concep o
IMTA, ha ing been in oduced o i h ough
go e nmen p og ams, NGOs, o aining
wo kshops. The emaining 45% had limi ed
knowledge o we e unawa e o IMTA be o e he
s udy. Only 30% o esponden s we e ac i ely
p ac icing IMTA a he ime o he s udy, mainly
in ol ing he co-cul i a ion o ish wi h seaweeds
o bi al es. The o he 70% we e in ol ed in
monocul u e bu exp essed in e es in ansi ioning o
o expe imen ing wi h IMTA sys ems and he p ima y
mo i a ions o adop ing IMTA among esponden s
included en i onmen al bene i s (40%), economic
di e si ica ion (30%), and imp o ed esilience o
ma ke and clima e luc ua ions (20%). A smalle
g oup (10%) was mo i a ed by ex e nal incen i es,
such as g an s o subsidies. The esul s also had
suppo ed he bes p ac ices o he Al u as g oup and
company in he cul u e o bo h ma ine and b ackish
wa e o sus ainable de elopmen .
Fig. 2.
The IMTA concep and he si ua ion o
Ma icul u e in Calape, Bohol
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In he ecen ac i i ies in he island, his is he concep
used in he ma icul u e a ming in Pangangan, Calape,
Bohol. The In eg a ed Mul i-T ophic Aquacul u e
(IMTA) is a sus ainable app oach o aquacul u e ha
in ol es he cul i a ion o species om di e en ophic
le els wi hin he same sys em, whe e he was e p oduced
by one species is u ilized as a esou ce by ano he . When
applied o island se ings, IMTA becomes pa icula ly
ele an due o he unique ecological and socio-
economic cha ac e is ics o island communi ies. Below is
he Fig. 2 o he MTA concep in Calape, Bohol.
Fig. 3.
Flow on he po en ials o IMTA
Po en ials o IMTA
Fo he en i onmen al aspec i includes nu ien
ecycling: IMTA sys ems can signi ican ly educe he
en i onmen al impac o aquacul u e by ecycling
nu ien s. The was e p oduced by ed species (e.g.,
in ish o sh imp) se es as a nu ien sou ce o
ex ac i e species (e.g., seaweeds and shell ish). This
educes nu ien accumula ion in he en i onmen ,
dec eases he isk o eu ophica ion, and imp o es
o e all wa e quali y. Habi a enhancemen (Fig. 3)
by in eg a ing mul iple species, IMTA sys ems c ea e
di e se habi a s ha suppo a ious ma ine
o ganisms. Seaweeds and shell ish p o ide
impo an ecosys em unc ions, such as habi a
s uc u e and ood sou ces o o he aqua ic li e,
con ibu ing o enhanced biodi e si y; and educed
impac on wild s ocks ha MTA can lessen he
p essu e on wild ish s ocks by p o iding
al e na i e sou ces o sea ood. Fo example,
shell ish and seaweeds can be cul i a ed in IMTA
sys ems wi hou elying on wild ishe ies, helping
o p o ec ma ine ecosys ems and p omo e
sus ainabili y and esilience o en i onmen al
s ess ha IMTA sys ems can inc ease esilience o
en i onmen al s esso s, such as clima e change.
Di e se sys ems a e o en mo e adap able o
changes in wa e empe a u e, salini y, and
nu ien le els compa ed o monocul u e sys ems,
which can be mo e suscep ible o dis u bances.
While i is good o esea ch and de elopmen whe e
IMTA encou ages he de elopmen and es ing o
inno a i e aquacul u e p ac ices and echnologies.
Resea ch in o species in e ac ions, sys em design, and
en i onmen al moni o ing can d i e ad ancemen s in
aquacul u e science and p ac ice and o e a pla o m
o adap i e managemen app oaches, whe e a me s
can expe imen wi h di e en species combina ions
and managemen s a egies o op imize pe o mance
and sus ainabili y.
In si u ope a ions
Since milk ish is ega ded as he na ional ish o he
Philippines, i is a popula sea ood dish. Wi h he
excep ion o he Co dille a Adminis a i e Region, i
is g own h oughou p ac ically he whole na ion
(CAR). The ea lies ype o aquacul u e in he
Philippines is milk ish a ming. Ac ually, esea ch
and li e a u e sugges ha milk ish a ming
o igina ed in he Philippines a ound 400–600 yea s
ago and hen expanded o Taiwan, Indonesia, and he
Paci ic egion (FAO, 2009).
Table 2. Ranges on he es ima es o he cos o p oduc ion in in si u IMTA concep s in Calape, ma icul u e
Desc ip ion
P oduc ion
Ne income
Bangus
(minimum o 4 cages wi h 5×5m)
To al
inge lings s ocked pe cage
:
1000
-
1200 inge lings
Su i ing ish pe cage: 900-1000 inge lings×0.85=850 ish
To al weigh pe Cage: 400-425kg
To al weigh o Fou Cages: 1700kg
93
-
100,000.00
Seaweeds
(Es ima ed a ea o 1 ha)
10,000 a ea; monoline
200
-
275,000
pe c opping
O he like Tilapia c abs and
sh imp ( annamie)
F om Al u as bu some o he da a a e con iden ial
-
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Fig. 4.
The ac ual ma ke ing channels o bangus and
o he common ish in he own o Calape
Resul s in Table 2, showing he ac ual income o he
ma icul u e ope a o s showing he applica ions o
IMTA wi h he condi ion o 4 cages wi h an a ea o
5×5 me e s o 25 m2, had an es ima ed alue o
93,000–100,000.00, and o include he seaweeds,
which is he Eucheuma, wi h an es ima ed alue o
200–270,000.00. Ano he key in o man om
Al u as G oup and Company, which is one o he
bigges expo e s in he p o ince, sha ed ema kable
in o ma ion on he sus ainabili y o he p oduc ion
and i s good po en ial (Miya a e al., 2017) o
adop ing IMTA in he cul u e and o e all p oduc ion.
Below is he Fig. 4 showing he ac ual se -up o he
ma ke channels as applied o he ish ope a o s o
he ma icul u e in Calape, Bohol.
Conclusion
The in eg a ed mul i- ophic aquacul u e (IMTA) in
ma icul u e showed po en ials as indica ed based on
he p o ile o he ma icul u e ope a o s, po en ials,
and in-si u as a s a egy o island di e si ica ion
amids global changes.
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