Tawilis marked as endangered — IUCN

Taal Lake's Tawilis, the only freshwater sardine in the world, is now marked as endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List (IUCN).

"Na-assess siya as endangered. Well, ibig sabihin, it's a step closer na pwede na siyang maging extinct. Pero wala pa naman siya doon," Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos of the National Academy of Science and Technology said in Raffy Tima's Wednesday report on GMA's 24 Oras.

He said many factors contribute to the dwindling number of Tawilis in Taal Lake which includes fishing, environmental pollution, and occurrence of invasive species like Tilapia and other types of fish.

Fishermen in the area also observed the decrease in the catch of Tawilis and even market vendors of the well-known fish have their livelihoods at stake.

Santos said that measures to prevent the extinction of Tawilis are already in place but more proactive steps might be needed.

"Wag na sana nating paabutin na maging critically endangered by doing nothing. May pag-asa, may management na ginagawa. Pero to us, it's a wake up call," he added. — Dona Magsino/BAP, GMA News