14 dolphin species found in Cagayan

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines  –The waters of Cagayan are home to the biggest number of dolphin species in the country, an international environment group said. 

The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), the world’s leading conservation organization, said 14 species of dolphin, including the giant humpback whale, can still be found in Cagayan. 

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said this WWF finding confirms that biodiversity in the area is healthy.  

“It goes without saying that most of (the dolphin species) never leave the area because food is abundant there,” Jovita Ayson, BFAR director for Cagayan Valley, said.

The Philippine Game Fishing Foundation (PGFF) said the coast of Cagayan is one of the four remaining coastlines ideal for game fishing.

PGFF said last month’s fishing tournament participated in by at least 30 game fishing enthusiasts showed that the northern coastlines, including the Babuyan Channel are rich in marine resources.   

“The waters of northern Cagayan may as well be one of the last fishery frontiers in the country…The biodiversity of the area is very healthy that we need to protect it,” PGFF said. 

A majority of the sailfishes caught during the three-day tournament weighed an average of 30 to 40 kilograms and measured seven feet in length.