Philippine Journal of Science Vol. 145 No. 3, September 2016 In addition, some species of Porphyra and Gracilaria may develop “suminori” (Kusuda et al. 1992) and “white tips” (Weinberger et al. 1994) diseases, respectively, when exposed to high temperature conditions. Suminori disease is manifested by plasmoptysis of the thallus (Takayuki et al., 2009) while white tips disease is manifested by the development of white necrotic tissues (Weinberger et al. 1994). Effects on Marine Mammals Marine mammals are observed in almost all ocean habitats (Forcada 2009). The availability of prey, often a result of physical oceanographic processes, is critical to the habitat preferences of marine mammals (Learmonth et al. 2006). Although marine mammals are found around the world, they are distributed variably in areas where their food is abundant (Learmonth et al. 2006). Oceanographic changes brought by El Niño can affect the distribution of cetaceans as they may need to travel farther to find suitable feeding grounds (Santos & Aquino 2012). The effects of El Nino on smaller marine organisms such as changes in distribution and habitat are likely to cause a cascade effect on marine mammals that are dependent on their prey location (Santos & Aquino 2012). In the EEP, there was a displacement in the community structure when rarely found Risso’s dolphins increased in number while naturally abundant short-finned pilot whales declined in Santa Catalina Island, California following the 1982/1983 El Niño(Shane 1995). Bottlenose dolphins, also extended their distribution range from southern to central California on 1983 (Well et al. 1990). Whitehead (1997) also reported that the fecundity and calf survival of sperm whales was reduced during and after an El Niño event. The available studies on marine mammals in the Philippines were mostly focused on taxonomy, distribution and fishery (Dollar 1994; Dollar et al. 1994; Santos & Aquino 2012). Drought and increased salinity may become a threat to their survival such as Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) that lives in coastal waters and estuaries (Alava et al. 2012). Nevertheless, it appears that the feeding and migration of marine mammals in Philippine waters would not be significantly affected because their oceanic preys dwell in the deeper water layer except for some species that have limitations in their range in distribution such as Humpbacked Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) only known to occur in Northern Philippines (Santos & Aquino 2012). An enhanced water column mixing during El Nino causes only a change in the vertical distribution of preys but not displacement to distant areas. For example, spinner dolphins are shown to feed on mcytophids and other components of the deep scattering layer, an area not affected by the movement of sea surface water towards the EEP (Pauly et al. 1995). Damatac II & Santos: Possible Effects of El Niño on Some Philippine Marine Fisheries Resources Key Researchable Areas Based on this review, it is clear that there is a dearth of information regarding the specific effects of El Nino on marine resources in the country. Such information is critical in developing the right management interventions to mitigate the impacts of El Nino. As an output of a nationwide consultation in 2015, the Bureau of Agricultural Research has come up with the Climate Change Research, Development and Extension Agenda Program for 2016-2022 (BAR 2016). Five (5) broad researchable areas have been identified by stakeholders for the attainment of a climate-resilient capture fisheries in the country namely: 1. Spatial distribution and migration patterns of fish and socio-economic implications of changes in resources availability; 2. Development of early warning systems inclusive of marine biodiversity and habitat; 3. Improvement of post-harvest technologies and food safety of major food fish species; 4. Recommendations for enhancing resiliency of fisheries infrastructures; and 5. Vulnerability assessment studies of coastal areas. The Plan includes a detailed matrix in a value chain format (from production, post-harvest and processing to policy) the specific problems that climate change may bring to the country, the specific researchable area pertaining to the said problem, expected outputs, possible implementing agencies and timelines. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION El Niño is one of the apparent changes in climate and has been occurring more frequently in the past years. Certainly, changes in ocean and atmospheric patterns brought by this phenomenon have a significant impact on organisms that live particularly in the marine environment across the equatorial Pacific. Most marine organisms are crucial for the subsistence of fisheries sector, yet the most vulnerable to such extreme climatic variability. Although the conditions may be beneficial in some organisms, the overall effects of El Niño marine resources and consequently to fisheries sector appear to be negative. Table 2 summarizes the effect of El Niño on some important commodity species and other marine organisms and its implications on fisheries. The effects may vary from good to severe cases depending on species involved although it shows that more organisms are at disadvantage. 289