Sinarapan – The World’s Smallest Commercial Fish

The sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) is the world’s smallest commercially-harvested fish located only in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.

Sinarapan is a type of goby and they are transparent, except for the black eyes. The fish have an average length of 12.5 millimeters. Males are smaller than females.

Today, the sinarapan are threatened with extinction due to over fishing.

Aside from the sinarapan, Lake Buhi is also home for other marine species such as the Irin-irin (Redigobius dispar), Dalag (Channa striata), Puyo (Anabas testudines), Kotnag (Hemiramphus sp.), Burirawan (Strophidon sathete) and native catfish (Clarias sp.). Other fishes are introduced to boost the fishery industry such as the Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and Bangkok Hito (Clarias).

The forest surrounding the Lake is the home of at least 25 bird species. The five endemic species are the Philippine Pygmy Woodpecker, Philippine Hanging Parrot, Black-napped Monarch, Elegant Tit and the White-eared Brown Dove. Another fauna found in the forest are flying lizards (Draco), skinks, monitor lizards (Varanu’s salvator), civet cats, bats and the Philippine Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fasicularis).

Today the lake is the main source of water supply for the National Power Corporation Hydro Electric Plant. The power plant, which was founded in 1952, generates an average of 2.8 megawatts. It is also used by the National Irrigation Administration to irrigate at least 10,000 hectares of the province.

Lake Buhi is the only known place on earth where “Sinarapan” (Mistichthys Luzonensis), the world’s smallest edible fish is found only in the Philippines.