By PERSEUS ECHEMINADA
The Philippine Star
Tilapia, a voracious freshwater fish, has invaded Taal Lake in Batangas and is now threatening the tawilis, the world’s only known freshwater sardine, an environmentalist warned.
Romeo Trono, country executive director of Conservation International, said the introduction of tilapia in fishpens in Taal Lake has disturbed the marine sanctuary of the tawilis that is largely dependent on algae. Tilapia also thrives on algae.
But what disturbed the environmental group is that aside from feeding on algae and other food in the lake, the giant tilapia, also known locally as plapla, has also been feeding on schools of tawilis and their fries, driving the rare freshwater sardine out of the food chain.
"The tilapia is a predator fish; it feeds on tawilis and unless conservation efforts are undertaken, the tawilis would soon become extinct," Trono told reporters in an environmental forum in Quezon City.
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