Valenzuela Fishing

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Valenzuela offers best spots in Metro for local anglers

By Beverly T. Natividad
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Posted date: January 09, 2010

MANILA, Philippines—One of Metro Manila’s best kept secrets is right in its backyard.
Valenzuela City hosts one of the few remaining preserves in the country that serve as home to prize catch, and is on its way to becoming a popular destination for local fishing enthusiasts.

“Valenzuela is now very popular among many anglers because it is a convenient place for us to go to since it’s right here in Metro Manila,” said Bien Peñaranda, a game-/sport-fishing enthusiast and a member of the online fishing forum filanglers.org.

Three years ago, the fishponds of Barangay Coloong and Tagalag in Valenzuela were just regular fishponds serving the needs of fishermen in the Polo area.

Peñaranda was one of the handful of game fishers who eventually gravitated to the area after discovering the fishing spot located right in the heart of Metro Manila.

“Since then, I have been promoting Valenzuela with our group. It is a perfect spot for anglers who just want to fish without having to go all the way to Batangas, Cavite, or Quezon.”

Tournaments

The anglers loved it so much that they eventually organized a sport fishing tournament in the area in coordination with the Valenzuela city government.

With Peñaranda taking up the suggestion with Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian himself, the local government was more than willing to pursue the project.

The first gamefishing tournament was held in April 2008, and was followed by another in 2009. A third one is on the way this year.

“I have much to thank the members of the filanglers.org forum,” Gatchalian told Inquirer. “Now, we even have an expatriate crowd coming all the way to Valenzuela to fish. They have also done their share in promoting Valenzuela as a fishing spot.”

The growing popularity of Coloong and Tagalag as convenient fishing areas for both Filipino and foreign gamefishers has given local fisherfolk more than its share of the bonanza. Fishpond owners also earn from hosting anglers in their ponds, while waiting for their marine harvests.

“It is actually a win-win situation for both anglers and fishpond owners. We save on fuel while doing the sport we love, and they have another source of income before harvest time to take care of their everyday expenses,” said John Paul Suanico, another filangler.org forum member.

Resort look

These days, fishponds in Coloong and Tagalag have acquired a mini-resort look, with pond owners adding improvements to accommodate fishing enthusiasts.

Sari-sari (variety) stores and barbecue stands have sprouted in the vicinity, to the delight of housewives who needed the supplemental income.

“When the anglers come, the local fisherfolk are able to sell their fishes to their guests. The gamefishers help small businesses thrive,” said Gatchalian.

Recreational fishing or gamefishing (or sportfishing) is simply fishing done as a sport or for fun, unlike those done for commerce.

Filangler.org members explained that fishermen who get their catch from the freshwaters off Valenzuela are paid by the kilo, the standard practice among local gamefishers.

Another attraction for anglers is that fish caught in Valenzuela is priced much lower than the catch from Cavite or Batangas.

“In Valenzuela, we pay for the catch per kilo at farmgate prices. The price is almost double in other areas, and they charge you by the number of fishing poles you use,” said Peñaranda.

Apart from giving livelihood opportunities to Valenzuela residents, gamefishers say that promoting fishing as a sport also helps educate local fisherfolk on the value of their waters and its marine produce.

For most local fishermen, fishes in the sea are meant to be caught for food for the home or for sale, regardless of the size and the kind.

Among gamefishers, the usual practice is to throw back small-sized fishes to the waters to allow them to grow and reproduce. Constant interaction between fisherfolk and anglers result in mini lessons about the dangers of over fishing.

“By seeing anglers in action, the fishermen realize slowly that by letting go now, they can expect a bigger catch in the future,” said filangler Jefflin Choi.

Gamefishing, said the group members, can be an environment-friendly sport if enough people know about this aspect of giving back and getting more in return.

Fishing enthusiasts—disciplined in their craft and respectful of the waters—always put marine conservation on the top of their agenda, they added.

Hi All,

Sorry for the late responses to your inquiries and comments. To make the long story short, I lost access to this blog because I could not recover my password. Tried to reset the password and the emails ended up in my SPAM folder.

Now that I have regained access, I will try to update the blog as much as I can. A lot of things has happened over the past year. The ponds at Coloong and Tagalag were hit hard by Typhoon Ondoy. Some reported fishkills, some ponds closed and then reopened.

Just watch out for updates on this blog. Any questions, just email me.

Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament Marks its Second Year
Public Information Office
by : Jehan Torda
published: May 04, 2009

The first leg of the 2nd Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament was held in Brgy. Tagalag on May 2, 2009. Headed by Former Councilor Lorie Natividad – Borja, the Youth, Sports and Livelihood Office hosted the fishing tournament with more than 110 fishing enthusiasts joined in the said activity.

Most of the anglers came from the nearby cities and provinces like Batangas and Pangasinan.

Mr. Rodolfo Dizon and his son Mark Christopher bagged the first and second place awards for the Biggest Tilapia category. Likewise, Mr. Corman Beluso and Elmer Baldonado received the awards for the Milkfish Heaviest Catch category. Aside from these major awards, the committee also presented special awards to the oldest, youngest, and farthest local anglers. The Beltran Family from Caloocan City received the Angler Family award and Mr. Charlie Ignacio was given a Special award for catching a big shrimp called “Ulang”.

Punong Barangay Renato Bernardo, together with the Brgy. Tagalag Council and Sangguniang Kabataan headed by Cristine Bernadette Geronimo, acknowledged the Llenado Family for allowing the fun fishing activity be held in their fish pond. PB Bernabe made a promise that they will pursue the development of the fishing venue in their barangay.

The recently held fishing competition marks its second year with the coordination of the Filipino Anglers Organization. Mr. Bien Penaranda, a resident of Valenzuela and fishing enthusiast since his childhood, said that “This is a dream come true for me. When I was a young kid, I always thought of a place for fishing activity. Now, there is no need to go far, because in the heart of this highly urbanized city, there is a beautiful place to go fishing with our family and friends.”

According to Mayor WIN Gatchalian, Mr. Bien Penaranda gave him the idea to launch the said fun fishing tournament last 2008. The City Mayor hopes that this endeavour will promote the City of Valenzuela as a tourist spot for fishing enthusiasts.

All anglers are invited to join in the second leg of the 2nd Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament in Brgy. Coloong on May 17, 2009.

Top sport fishers shine in Mayor WIN tilt

Public Information Office
by : Jehan Torda
published: May 26, 2009

A total of 138 sport fishing enthusiasts participated in the second leg of the 2nd Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament held in Barangay Coloong last May 17. This follows the Barangay Tagalag leg of the tournament last May 2.

Now on its second year, the fishing tournament was organized by the Youth, Sports and Livelihood Office, headed by former Councilor Lorie Natividad-Borja, in partnership with the Filipino Anglers Organization.

Emerson Cacho and Samson Oabel bagged the first and second place awards respectively for the Biggest Bangus Catch category. Elmer Baldonado and Lino del Rosario, on the other hand, received the first and second place awards respectively for the Heaviest Tilapia Catch category. Vic Villanueva won the Biggest Apahap catch award.

Allan Santos of the Filipino Anglers Organization conducted the official weighing of the heaviest catch for the Biggest Bangus and Tilapia categories.

Fishing enthusiasts also received special awards, including the Oldest, Youngest, Farthest Local Anglers and Special Specie Catch awards. For the second time, the Beltran Family from Caloocan City received the Angler Family award.

Former Coloong Punong Barangay Larry Ramos thanked Mayor WIN for choosing their fish pond as the venue of the fun fishing activity. Ramos said that they will continue to develop the fishing hub in their barangay.

Baldonado, a resident of Meycuayan City and also a two-time champion in the heaviest catch division, said that “Ako at ang aking mga kaibigan ay lubos na nagpapasalamat kay Mayor WIN ng Valenzuela City sa pagkakaroon ng ganitong torneo. Isa itong kapaki-pakinabang na aktibidad para sa lahat ng mahilig mangisda. Muli kaming sasali sa 3rd Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament! [My friends and I am very thankful to Valenzuela City Mayor WIN for this tournament. This is a very helpful activity for all fishing enthusiasts. We will all join the 3rd Mayor WIN Gatchalian Fun Fishing Tournament!]”

According to Mayor WIN Gatchalian, Mr. Bien Penaranda gave him the idea to launch the said fun fishing tournament last 2008. The City Mayor hopes that this endeavour will promote the City of Valenzuela as a tourist spot for fishing enthusiasts.[/quote]

General Tournament Information

• Registration is limited to 150 Participants. Registration should be done thru the authorized registration centers prior to the tournament
• Walk in registrants will only be allowed to join during the tournament date if there are slots available. First come, first served.
• Fish can only be taken by rod and reel, hook and line and from the bank.
• Other methods such as snagging (salvage), electrofishing (kuryente), bowfishing (pana or airgun), netting (lambat) and other methods are strictly not allowed.
• Participants need to pay for their catch by the kilo
• Registration Fee is P200 per person

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
May 2, 2009 (Totoy Llenado’s Pond, Tagalag)
May 17, 2009 (Kap Larry’s Pond, Coloong1)

6:00 A.M. REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS
7:00 A.M. START OF TOURNAMENT
3:00 P.M. END OF TOURNAMENT
. AWARDING

AWARD CATEGORIES
• INDIVIDUAL – HEAVIEST SINGLE CATCH
o Biggest Apahap – Trophy plus P5000 (Coloong only)
o Biggest Bangus – Trophy plus P5000
o Biggest Tilapia – Trophy plus P5000
o Second Biggest Apahap – P3000 (Coloong Only)
o Second Biggest Bangus – P3000
o Second Biggest Tilapia – P3000

The tournament for Coloong 1 and Tagalag is a go. We are looking for volunteer marshals who will verify and log the winning entries as they are weighed in.

Marshals assist in the initial weighing in of the catches and also see to it that tournament rules are followed. if an angler protests on the practices of another angler, the marshal will mediate. Last tourney, the marshals were there to announce when anglers can start fishing, record the heaviest catches in his area and also announce when the tournament has ended.

It was a common sentiment that marshals were slowly tortured as they had to abstain from fishing. This year, marshals will be allowed to join the tournament itself. Each marshal will buddy up with a staff from the Valenzuela Sports Committee, for check and balance.

I have just finished discussing the details with Ms. Lorie. Details of the tournament are as follows:
Tagalag Leg to be held at the same venue as last year, at Ka Totoys pond, on May 9, 2009. Participants to be limited to 200. Same rules and prices as last year. Tournament fee is 200, which includes a tournament shirt and free snacks. Lunch will be at anglers expense.

Coloong Leg to be held later on either May 16 or 23 (tentative). Same rules and prices as Tagalag but participants to be limited to 150. Registration will be via the Valenzuela Sports Office or thru the forum. We will be issued tickets which will be proofs of registration.

What are requirements for marshals?
Must be a forum member of Filipino Anglers
Have read and understood the tournament rules
Must come early for the tournament for briefing

What are the perks?
Waived registration fee
Complimentary marshals shirt
Packed lunch
Sense of accomplishment that you were part of making the tournament a success

Catch and Release is still a foreign concept to most local anglers. We feel that it would be such a waste if we let the small ones or the hard to catch ones go. When I was starting out, and that was not a long time ago, I used to think that even the littlest tilapia should be kept since it will just die when released. When I catch small groupers when bottomfishing, I keep them and give them to the boatman since they would certainly go back and steal my bait again.

Nothing can be farther from the truth. It is a proven fact that fish, when handled properly, have a high survival rate when released. When they appear to be stealing your bait, there are other ways to outsmart them and make their big brothers bite instead. This separates the better anglers from the rest: an understanding of the bigger picture… that fishing is not just about catching your fish for the day, but rather, also being mindful of how you impact the environment and how that affects the future generation of anglers.

I am an expectant father of twin girls and its very likely they won’t be fishing with me when I grow old. Still, I am for catch and release. Maybe someday, I can bring their boyfriends along for a fishing trip so I can grill and interview them from head to foot, body and soul. If they don’t meet my standards, at least Im sure there are big fishes in the water who can eat them up if I decide to push them.

Kidding aside, Catch and Release it the way to go if we want the local fishing scene to improve and be sustainable for the current and future generation of anglers.

Its a good thing that the recent discussions in the Filipinoanglers.org forum have raised awareness about CnR. Below is a proposed patch by jojo:

MESSAGE
Welcome fishing enthusiasts!

Valenzuela City boasts of rustic area amidst the metropolis. The First District of the city still holds the beauty of nature that one will feel space-warped once he gets here after just about an hour or less drive away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the Metro. Our City is known as an aquaculture center. The entire First District is practically surrounded with fishponds where milkfish and tilapia are just some of our biggest produce. Our fishpond owners have also introduced other varieties of fish such as apahap (barramundi) and biya.

To promote greater awareness and interest in caring for the environment, the City Government of Valenzuela launched on April 2008, the Mayor WIN Fun Fishing Tournament held at Brgy. Coloong and Brgy. Tagalag. Approximately 500 fishing enthusiasts from all over the country, with foreign participants coming from as far as Australia and Japan, participated the event which we plan to hold yearly.

Organized in cooperation with Filipino Anglers Organization , through the tournament, the City Government hopes to promote tourism in the city and its fishponds as prime sport fishing destination.

I, therefore, encourage all fishing enthusiasts to come and visit our city and its fishing havens. Enjoy the beauty of nature and spend quality bonding time with your family in Valenzuela.

Mabuhay kayong lahat!

SHERWIN T. GATCHALIAN
City Mayor

Condura Run for benefit of whale sharks

Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:53:00 03/13/2009

Filed Under: Marathon, Running, Animals, Conservation, Ecotourism

MANILA, Philippines—The annual Condura Run on March 22 is raising its standard with the addition of a half-marathon and the selection of whale sharks as this year’s recipients.

“The mission of the Condura Run is to inspire people to run because we believe that if everyone runs then the country will be a much better place,” said Concepcion Durables president Ton Concepcion.

“We will also help save the marine environment and promote eco-tourism by making people aware of the richness that lie beneath our seas.”

Proceeds of last year’s Condura Run went to the protection and preservation of the Tubbataha Reefs in Palawan.

This time, the Condura Run will be staged for the benefit of the whale sharks, which congregate in Donsol, Sorsogon, from January to June to feed on its plankton-rich waters. These gentle giants locally known as “butanding” are the largest fish in the world, growing up to 40 feet in length and weighing up to 15 tons.

There will be prizes for the top finishers in the 3K Fun Run, 5K Discover Run, 10K Challenge Run and the inaugural 21K Half Marathon to the Skyway.

Registered runners will get the cool collectible Condura Run for the Whale Sharks T-Shirt, certificates, and giveaways from Vitwater, Sunkist, Selecta and Swift. Finishers of the 21K half-marathon will get the special finisher’s medal

I created this petition to give recreational anglers a voice in promoting Catch and Release and the seeding of payponds with more gamefish. Let your voice be heard, click the link below and feel free to pass the word to your other angler friends!

Catch and Release Fishing is not yet popular in the Philippines, whether in private payponds or in the wild. This petition seeks to hear the voice of anglers who fish payponds and would like to release the fish they catch. This prevents the depletion of the current fish stock and ensures the long term sustainability of recreational fishing in these areas, for the mutual benefit of anglers and pond owners alike.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SeedCatchandRelease

May you catch more fish and may your family be blessed with HEALTH, WEALTH and HAPPINESS for the coming years…