DA-BFAR: Interventions in place amid tinfoil barb presence in Laguna Lake

The Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources on Wednesday said it is actively responding to the reported presence of tinfoil barb or Barbonymus schwanenfeldii in Laguna de Bay, a non-native fish usually kept as a pet.

In a statement, DA-BFAR said it has been monitoring the non-native fish’s presence and evaluating its potential ecological and socio-economic impacts since the species’ initial documentation in 2021.

“DA-BFAR will continue to conduct assessments and implement immediate mitigation strategies as well as monitor the extent of the tinfoil barb population, evaluate its ecological interactions, and identify possible sources of introduction,” the agency said.

“Should findings confirm a threat to ecological balance or the displacement of native species, the Bureau stands ready to activate targeted interventions through its established programs addressing invasive species found within Laguna de Bay,” it said.

The DA-BFAR issued the statement after biologists from the Ateneo de Manila University warned that tinfoil barb sighted in Laguna de Bay “could threaten native fishes in the country’s largest freshwater lake.”

The scientists said that the presence of tinfoil barb in Laguna de Bay could outcompete the native fish in the lake for food and breeding grounds. 

The DA-BFAR said it mobilized its technical teams to manage and monitor the species' population.

“With recent reports indicating an increase in the presence of tinfoil barb, DA-BFAR has intensified its efforts and is closely coordinating with concerned local government units (LGUs) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA), the primary agency mandated to oversee the lake’s management and water resources,” the agency said.

“This collaboration ensures a unified and science-based approach in monitoring, mitigation, and response measures. All agencies are working together to ensure that interventions remain responsive to the welfare of affected communities,” it added.—AOL, GMA Integrated News