Persistence of Bubo, Fish Trap in the Philippine Artisanal Fishery＜Special Theme : Material Cultural Studies on Boats and Fishing Tools Based on the Museum Collections and Fieldwork＞

Among the most pervasive fish traps in Asia and the Pacific, the bubo is the most common device in artisanal fisheries of Philippine communities. Its practical use endures for several reasons: a) reliability of bubo technology in time and space; b) living master trappers naturally pass on their knowledge and skills from generation to generation; and c) the places where traps are set up are usually public spaces or commons such as rivers, lakes, streams, and seas. In most countries where bubo trapping is practiced, trappers are peasants. This is certainly true in the case of the Philippines. This paper presents an examination of the variety of bubo fish pots and traps in the Philippines, specifically, and the use of bubo through time and space, along with its significance as a representation of indigenous and local knowledge that is environmentally friendly. Being small and artisanal, the bubo has proven to be adaptable to the changing climate and to rapid transformations in fishing technology