In the next 15 to 25 years, our children may only learn about the once staple Philippine fish talakitok and maya-maya in science books, or perhaps in museums. These fish species, along with at least 10 others in the Philippines, are on the brink of extinction in just over a decade’s time due to overharvesting and illegal fishing. Overfishing is just one of the many pressures causing biodiversity loss, along with habitat degradation, pollution, invasive alien species, climate change, and other forms of overexploitation and unsustainable use.

Amante, K. (2016, December 8). Saving nature is saving our future. The Manila Times, p. B5.