Baywatch and Baycatch

The disputed existing coast of Manila looks the same as it was when I was a child, but it may change drastically when reclamation pushes through 

Shelter behind one of the bollard lights

Had the chance to visit the CCP baywalk once more. It was quite a while back when I last saw the waters of Manila bay in this side of town. When I was a kid we used to frequent the CCP grounds especially the breakwater behind the Folk Arts Theater to buy seafood from peddlers or eat at the fastfood (remember the Orange Julius burgers?). Now it seems CCP baywalk is again a destination for foodies with new restaurants and dining establishments popular with the in-crowd.

Waiting a while for a bite

On a sunny day, a familiar scene are anglers trying their luck to hook fish from the murky waters of the bay.  But what may be different is that before, the fishermen catch fish species that I could not recognize when I was a child. Now the anglers catch the familiar, freshwater tilapia which has already acclimatized with the salinity and pollution. Yikes!

There are a number of people at watch for a bay catch

The more organized part of baywalk is off limits for the anglers

Some of these anglers said they are doing it as a sport.  But others do catch tilapia to eat for dinner.  I asked how the fish catch taste when cooked.  They say there is a funny after taste, but that does not stop them from dropping a fishline and trying their luck to hook some Manila bay tilapia. Probably better to have something than nothing on the table, besides that the fish caught is free, free, free!