ASAR: A Distinct Fishing Gear Used In the Cordillera Rivers

Abstract

Mary P Tauli, Marx Perfecto C Garcia, Joahna Goyagoy, Heizel Lalugan, Lois June B Fermin and Lilibeth L Signey

The Cordillera Administrative Region, dubbed as the “Watershed Cradle of the North” caters to 13 major rivers [1]. Five of which is being assessed by the National Stock Assessment Program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources [2,3]. This study, under the BFAR-CAR NSAP was conducted to study the origin of the asar, a distinct fish trap being used in the Cordillera Rivers. It also wanted to determine the catch composition in six municipal landing centers identified. Data on the history and origin of the asar were obtained through interviews with fisherfolk in Abra, Kalinga, Benguet, Apayao and Ilocos Sur using open-ended questions. Data on fish composition and volume of catch were collected by NSAP-CAR data enumerators in six landing centers along the Rivers of Amburayan, Abra and Apayao-Abulug. The asar is also known as asal or kileb, a little difference due to the linguistic differences in the region. It is a passive and size selective but not species-selective fishing gear. It takes advantage of the increased volume of fish trapped during the rainy season. In Abra, asar was constructed based on basbasan – a tool used to separate rice grains from its stalk. In Benguet on the other hand was based in an old practice of filtering decaying plant materials in rice fields called asal. In Apayao, asar was introduced by Mr. Manuel Basilio, an Abrenian who migrated to Flora in 1964. NSAP data shows that 26 species of aquatic animals were caught by asar in the Cordillera Rivers in 2015. Asar as a gear contributed 5.5% to the total inland capture fisheries catch in 2015.

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