Considered as one of the most expensive freshwater fishes in the country, ayungin or silver perch is a small fish that is classified as among the near-threatened species in the Philippines. It is indigenous to Laguna de Bay and is claimed to have been introduced to other water bodies including Taal Lake in Batangas and Sampaloc Lake in Laguna. Because of its favorable commercial characteristics, ayungin has attracted significant research interest as a potential aquaculture species. The University of the Philippines Los Baños–Limnological Research Station (UPLB-LRS), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources–National Inland Fisheries Technology Center (BFAR-NIFTC), and the Bureau Agricultural Research (BAR) are collaborating on a research and development project titled, “Development of Seed Production and Grow-Out Culture Techniques for Ayungin.”

Dela Peña, Z. (2017, July 16), Reviving ayungin culture in Laguna. The Philippine Star, p. B5.