LEVEL OF AWARENESS ON MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES OF SELECTED RESIDENTS IN DALAHICAN PORT LUCENA

The study focused on determining the level of awareness of selected residents of Dalahican Port on marine environmental issues such as water pollution, oil pollution, illegal fishing, illegal building in coastal areas and over fishing as a basis for formulating plans and activities to extend services for the beneficiaries of the study. Results reveal the awareness of the selected residents in Dalahican port about these particular marine environmental issues. Most of the selected residents were 26-30 years old; majority or 59% of them were male. Most of the respondents finished secondary schooling. In terms of civil status, 60% of the selected respondents were single; 34% were married; 5% were separated and 1% are widow. In terms of awareness in water pollution and oil pollution, most of the respondents stated that the major cause of oil pollution was the coastal development which got the rank of 1 and weighted mean of 4.52. In terms of illegal fishing most of the respondents were aware about illegal fishing. The results indicated that they are aware of illegal fishing and it is a crime of theft that costs most of the global community, which ranked first with a weighted mean of 4.54. In terms of illegal building in coastal areas most of respondents show awareness. It shows that mangrove population has been reduced significantly because of aquaculture, and because of the illegal construction of buildings along the coastal areas, it contributes to waste and population. Which got the same rank of 1.5 and weighted mean of 4.49. In terms of overfishing most of the respondents stated that overfishing practices can also cause deaths of bird fishing species, some of which are endangered already, which got the highest weighted mean of 4.54.