Introduction
You are part of a team of specialists whose mission is to determine the best way to preserve two species of goby. Your team has been invited to make a presentation at an international conference where other teams will be competing for project funding. Will your presentation earn your project funding?
The Task
The populations of two species of gobies may be declining. Pandaka pygmaea, one the world’s smallest vertebrate, was added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 1996 and may have already become extinct. Sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonenesis) is the smallest commercially harvested fish. Fishermen have reported a decreasing number of Sinarapan. Edible goby species are economically important to many parts of the Philippines where small-scale fisheries are the primary source of income. The decreasing population of goby species is of great concern to those who rely on them for an income. These tiny fish are also an important source of protein in the diets of local people.
Your task is to:
- Find out what has caused the decline in the goby population in the Philippines.
- Investigate methods for reversing the population trend.
- Present a proposal that will increase and sustain goby populations so that they do not become extinct .
Your presentation must include graphics and visual organizers. Presentations may be in the form of PowerPoint or overhead projector transparencies.
Credits & References
- Photo credit of the Pandaka pygmaea Herre found on the EOL website
- Photo credit of the sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) by Don Jan Sumido © All rights reserved. Image may not be used for any purpose without permission from the copyright holder.
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