AQUACULTURE FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND LEVEL OF AWARENESS OF PLASTIC LITTER IN SAN PEDRO, DAPITAN CITY, MINDANAO, THE PHILIPPINES

Aquaculture is an important livelihood sector, and environmental threats to this sector are considered a major concern, particularly those that involve plastic pollution.It has significant impacts on marine and aquatic organisms, yet management, mitigation, and preventive measures are still challenging due to human intervention.This study aims to determine the level of awareness and perception of the impacts of plastic pollution among aquaculture farmers in San Pedro, Dapitan City, the Philippines.Their knowledge of and behaviour towards plastic were obtained through interviews employing a survey instrument utilising the Likert scale.The results show that the respondents are aware of plastic pollution's impacts.Despite the level of awareness, consumption of plastic products persists due to a lack of alternatives.The respondents are also aware of the challenges of conducting clean-up drives.The perceived plastic pollution impacts are a serious concern, especially to their livelihood.As the aquaculture farmers depend on Pulauan River, they want the river to be clean and free from plastic pollution.The level of awareness and perception among aquaculture farmers of environmental threats and their impacts are relevant in mitigating and preventing environmental and human health issues, ensuring the sustainability of the aquaculture sector.