Philippines country information

Common names: Awa, Awa, Awa
Occurrence: native
Salinity: freshwater
Abundance: abundant (always seen in some numbers) | Ref: Bagarinao, T., 1994
Importance: commercial | Ref: Bagarinao, T., 1994
Aquaculture: commercial | Ref: Bagarinao, T., 1994
Regulations: restricted | Ref: Bagarinao, T., 1994
Uses: no uses
Comments: Known from Marinduque (Ref. 58652). Reported from Lake Buluan (Ref. 13492), Lake Lanao, Lake Taal, Lake Naujan (13446), and Lanuza Bay (Ref. 104756). Migrated into Lake Mainit via Tubay River, Mindanao (Ref. 4867, 13446). A very important food fish; cultured in fishponds, pens or cages in Laguna de Bay and all over the country (Ref. 80824). No fishery for adult milkfish as it is illegal to catch them. Incidentally caught by various gears in coastal waters (Ref. 9814). Used to have a fishery for migrating adults from Naujan Lake and Taal Lake (Bagarinao, pers. Comm.) (Ref. 81207). Museum specimens collected in 1983-4 from various localities, LRS-83109 (Ref. 13460). Also Ref. 49, 393, 9987, 12547, 12550, 12868.
National Checklist:
Country Information: httpss://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/rp.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Broad, G., 2003
National Database:

Classification / Names

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Gonorynchiformes (Milkfish) > Chanidae (Milkfish)
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL

Common names from other countries

Ханос (=молочная рыба), 虱目鱼(遮目鱼), Chano, ... more

Main reference

Bagarinao, T. 1994. (Ref. 9814)
References | Biblio | Coordinator | Collaborators

Size / Weight / Age

Max length : 180 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710); 124.0 cm SL (female); common length : 100.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9814); max. published weight: 14.0 kg (Ref. 9814); max. reported age: 15 years (Ref. 9814)

Length at first maturity
L_m 91.8, range 68 - 70 cm

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 6898), usually ? - 15 m (Ref. 89972)

Climate / Range

Tropical; 15°C - 43°C (Ref. 43081), preferred 26°C (Ref. 107945); 46°N - 52°S, 19°E - 77°W

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: along continental shelves and around islands, where temperatures are greater than 20°C. Red Sea and South Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesas, north to Japan, south to Victoria, Australia. Eastern Pacific: San Pedro, California to the Galapagos.
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Introductions

Short description

Dorsal spines (total): 2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-17; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8 - 10; Vertebrae: 46. This species is characterized by the following: body elongate and somewhat compressed; mouth small and toothless; branchiostegal rays 4; one dorsal fin; pectoral fins falcate; body olive green; flanks silvery; fins dark bordered (Ref. 55763). Superficially resembles bonefishes but by evolution more advanced by having 4 branchiostegal rays (Ref. 1602); jaws toothless (Ref. 12693); with 31 caudal fin rays (Ref. 50686).

Found in offshore marine waters and shallow coastal embayments, but also frequently enter estuaries and occasionally penetrate freshwater streams (Ref. 44894). A marine species which enters estuaries and rivers (Ref. 52331). Adults occur in small to large schools near the coasts or around islands where reefs are well developed. Eggs and larvae are pelagic up to 2-3 weeks. Older larvae migrate onshore and settle in coastal wetlands (mangroves, estuaries) during the juvenile stage, or occasionally enter freshwater lakes. Juveniles and sub-adults return to sea where they mature sexually. Spawn only in fully saline water. Larvae eat zooplankton; juveniles and adults eat cyanobacteria, soft algae, small benthic invertebrates, and even pelagic fish eggs and larvae. Larvae are collected from rivers and are grown in culture ponds into juveniles, which are marketed fresh, smoked, canned or frozen. Brood stocks can be raised and spawned in captivity to produce larvae in the hatchery (Ref. 12868). Can thrive and grow in water as hot as 32° C (Ref. 9987).

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: usually

More information

Countries
FAO areas
Ecosystems
Occurrences
Introductions
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Ecology
Diet
Food items
Food consumption
Ration

Common names
Synonyms
Metabolism
Predators
Ecotoxicology
Reproduction
Maturity
Spawning
Fecundity
Eggs
Egg development

Age/Size
Growth
Length-weight
Length-length
Length-frequencies
Morphometrics
Morphology
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Recruitment
Abundance

References
Aquaculture
Aquaculture profile
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Genetics
Allele frequencies
Heritability
Diseases
Processing
Mass conversion

Collaborators
Pictures
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Sounds
Ciguatera
Speed
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Otoliths
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Tools

Special reports

Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805)
PD₅₀ = 1.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278)
2.4 ±0.20 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278)
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm=4-8; tmax=15; Fec=200,000)

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153)
Very high vulnerability (76 of 100)

Price category (Ref. 80766)
Unknown

Chanos chanos (Forsskål, 1775)