While we environmental scientists are interested mainly on the natural science aspects of the environment, we work with people and local communities. Since we wanted to know how people view this alien fish in their river, we asked them what they thought and knew about it. Residents of Marikina City a.k.a Marikeños are proud that their river still has fish in it. However it is a fish species they don't want. The older citizens (those born before and during the 1950s) still remember a clear fast flowing stream with a sandy silty bottom covered with submerged plants. Amongst these plants were eels "palos", mudfish "dalag" and native catfish "hito" and the now extirpated Therapon "ayungin". Today the only food fish most people could catch is the introduced Tilapia, that is if they are lucky. Marikina is probably the only city in Metro Manila that still has an inland fishery. One can observe fishermen casting their nets and recreational fishers wi...
"It is surely harmful to souls to make it a heresy to believe what is proved" - Galileo