Lake Lanao: Its past and present status

Geographically located in Central Mindanao, Lake Lanao is the second largest lake in the Philippines. The lake is famous locally for its various uses and internationally for its endemic cyprinids. This paper intends to inform the local leaders and the national planners about Lake Lanao's dwindling fisheries resources, the extinction of some endemic cyprinids, and the current interventions as well as suggested action plans to increase fish production and to conserve the remaining species in the lake. The past and present studies on the lake are also reviewed. Early and latest statistics on the lake's fisheries production are presented to invite the interest of all sectors in coming up with the integrated approach to protect, conserve and increase its fisheries production. Local and national interventions to conserve and increase fisheries production are discussed. These include the setting up of BFAR Fisheries Station in Kialdan, Marantao; the establishment of a fish hatchery in Poona, Marantao by Southern Philippines Development Authority; the formation of Save Lake Lanao Movement by the local leaders; the creation of Lake Lanao Research and Development Council; the current concern of Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development-DOST; and the extension and research and development thrusts of the Mindanao State University, College of Fisheries in Marawi City