Pagsaulog sang Kabuhi kag Kadalag-an (“Celebrating Life and Victories”)
The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences proudly presents the “Giant Triton” as its Big Lantern with the fishes, corals, and crown-of-thorns as handheld lanterns. All are made up of plastic bottles and straws.
One of the missions of the college is to advocate for policy directions in the utilization and management of fisheries and aquatic resources.
Crown-of-Thorns or COT has been one of the current issues in the field of fisheries. The COT preys on corals, posing a significant threat and endangering hundreds and thousands of aquatic organisms that inhabit and breed in the reef system. Fish production will decrease, affecting the livelihood of many coastal communities.
Now, the local government institutions have been asking for volunteers to collect and remove COTs during an outbreak. This is to control its reproduction and growth, mitigating damage to coral reefs. Also, management of triton harvesting has been directed since triton feeds on COTs.
The College’s concept of celebrating life and victories does not just end with the victory of fishes and corals as the triton feeds on the crown-of-thorns. It is extended to a celebration of the human race as we also fight for food security and inclusivity.
This is a long-fought battle that we always needed to win. The way to achieve this conquest starts within ourselves – by advocating best practices for the management and preservation of ecosystems, economic and human well-being; championing and making a ripple effect towards the sustainability of our resource.
Cheers to our generations and the future victories. Merry Christmas!
The Lantern Committee headed by Ms. Ruby Napata and sponsored by the Institute of Fisheries Policy and Development Studies
(Synopsis obtained from Asst. Prof. Jonalyn P. Mateo, and photos are courtesy of the CFOS Paskua 2022 documentation team.)