Abstract

Crabbing is considered one of the essential sources of livelihood in the province of Albay keeping their traditional way of surviving life especially during pandemic. The study was conducted during the time of COVID-19 pandemic in the islands of San Miguel and Cagraray,Albay which highlighted the perspective of crabbers on catch and effort of blue swimming crab (Portunus pelagicus). There are three (3) fishing gear types identified used by small scale crab fishers consist of bottom set gill net (BSGN), crab pot, and crab lift net. Results showed fifty-one (51) unit gear types for crabbing, thirty-three (33) of which comes from San Miguel Island, while in Cagraray Island, there were eighteen (18) fishing gear units identified. The average catch ranges from 0.2 kilograms to 4 kilograms per fishing trip, noticing smaller sizes of catch than the previous years. These observations could be related to the increasing number of gears and crabbers in the area resulting to competition for the resources and high fishing pressure. The estimated annual production for bottom set gillnets, crab pots, and crab lift nets are 6.5 mt, 6.9 mt and 1.5 mt., respectively. Moreover, the estimated annual production for blue swimming crabs is 8.78 mt in the islands. Further studies on the population biology of Portunus pelagicus in the area is recommended for specific management strategies.