THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said it is preparing a “science-based” response to an invasive fish species in Laguna de Bay know as the tinfoil barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii).
The BFAR said it is currently preparing an estimate of the tinfoil barb population and evaluating its potential ecological and socio-economic impact.
The tinfoil barb, a pet species, was first documented in Laguna de Bay in 2022.
Biologists from the Ateneo de Manila recently warned that the presence of the tinfoil barb “could threaten native fish in the country’s largest freshwater lake,” adding that it could outcompete native fishes in the lake for food as well as breeding grounds.
The BFAR said it has mobilized its technical teams and is working with local government units and the Laguna Lake Development Authority, which oversees the lake’s management and water resources.
“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. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza