A rare species of fish in the Philippines that sells for P5,000 a kilo is facing rougher waters as poachers continue to threaten its population. The lobed river mullet or ludong, endemic to the Cagayan Valley region, is a treasured fish believed to be an annual gift of the river goddess to the Ibanags or to the people living by the Cagayan River . Through the years, the ludong, scientifically named cestraeus plicatilis, has become scarce due to poaching, making it more expensive. According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), no ludong had been caught in 2002 and 2003. BFAR also reported that the fish's size has become smaller, from 2.4 kilograms in 1998 to a quarter of a kilo in 2001. Ludong fishing is banned in Cagayan. The months of December, January, and February are especially crucial as ludong are expected to migrate upstream after spawning, bringing with them fry that can still propagate its entire population if not caught indiscriminately. This freshwater fish is catadromous, which means that it migrates to the ocean to breed from October to December and returns to the rivers upstream in the months of December to February. The BFAR said this fish is habituating in the deep pools of Addalem River in Aglipay, Quirino, and rapids of Didimpit in Lacab, Jones, Isabela. Ludong spawns in the upper Cagayan River in Jones, Isabela and goes downstream in late October until mid-November to release eggs at the mouth of Cagayan River, the nation's longest river.
