Poachers are warned not to collect the fry of the extremely rare Ludong fish that will migrate upstream of the Cagayan River this February, Jack Enrile, adviser to his father, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and the province of Cagayan, said Wednesday.

“We are resolute in safeguarding the province’s legacy to the next generations, and these are our natural wealth,” said the younger Enrile, adding that “the Ludong is found only in Cagayan and should be appreciated and acknowledged for its intrinsic value in the nation and the world’s biodiversity.”

He observed the region nurtures one of the country’s most diverse collections of flora and fauna with Cagayan River passing through one of the few remaining primary forests, Sierra Madre and Cordillera.

The nation’s longest river supports the lives of numerous endemic and endangered species, like the Luzon bleeding-heart pigeon, Philippine eagle and the very rare and expensive river fish called Ludong, said Enrile, who wants to represent the Cagayan 1st District in the next Congress.

Because the fish is considered one of the endangered species, a ban on Ludong fishing when the fry travel upstreamin late February is in place, he said.

The rare fish, also known as the Pacific salmon, costs as much as P5,000 a kilogram, making it one of the world’s most expensive fish.

Enrile explained the exotic fish 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 the Cagayan River.

“Even our myths and legends pay tribute to this exotic and most valuable fish,” Enrile said, citing the belief that the Ludong is the annual gift of the river goddess to the Ibanags or people by the banks of the Bannag or Cagayan River.

He warned traders not to encourage river fisher folks to use dip-scoop nets, seines or large spinning bamboo straps to catch the migrating Ludong fry.

“We understand the role of Ludong in our culture, especially in the local cuisine,” Enrile observed. “Precisely for its culinary value, and being a natural heritage, that we must maintain the Ludung population by protecting its fry population which already shows signs of dwindling.”

Ludong fishing started last October when during the first migration wave of the Atabatabiok or vanguard Ludung, Enrile said, and were most vulnerable when the next migration wave of spawners each heavy with eggs followed before December.

The fish will again be most vulnerable this February when millions of the Ludong fry called Ifun start to go back to its headwaters and are fished along the way, Enrile said.

“Which is why we should also go beyond the fishing factor as we must also protect their habitat in the southeastern portion of the Sierra Madre ranges and the Cordillera mountains,” he said.