Verde Island sits right in the middle of the Verde Island Passage (VIP), a strait between Luzon and Mindoro islands that biodiversity experts declared in 2005 the Earth’s “center of the center of marine shorefish biodiversity.” In its bosom, bounded by Tayabas Bay to the east and Batangas Bay to the west, are myriads of assorted fish and corals which have lured fishermen engaged in the aquarium fish trade. They catch anthias, clownfish, tomato anemonefish, lemon damsel, rainbow wrasse, butterflyfish, cleaner wrasse and angelfish, among other species. Normally, each live fish costs between P10 and P50, depending on species and size. The middleman sells the fish to Manila shops, with a 10- to 15-percent price markup.

Cinco, M. (2018, August 19). From foes to friends of tropical fish. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8.