1.6 Navigable Waterways, Bays, Anchorage and Fishing Banks

The big rivers in Davao del Norte are navigable. In the absence of a good road network in the past, these rivers were used by the early settlers particularly farmers and traders in transporting important agricultural and forest products with the use of bamboo rafts and bancas.

The province has four (4) coastal local government units, namely: Panabo City, Carmen, Tagum City and the Island Garden City of Samal. These coastal LGUs have 33 coastal barangays which actively indulge in coastal and commercial fishing as their major means of livelihood, to wit: Tagum City - 3 barangays; Carmen - 2 barangays; Panabo City - 4 barangays; Babak District - 7 barangays; Samal District - 7 barangays and Kaputian District - 10 barangays. Fishing activities directly or indirectly benefits about 75,970 population of the coastal barangays. Table No. 1-13 provides further information regarding this.

Table No. 1-13: Coastal Barangays of Davao del Norte

Barangay by Municipality	Land Area (Has)	Population 2000 Census
Tagum - 1. Libuganon City 2. Madaum 3. Busaon Total	449.220 2,870.000 1,040.000 4,359.220	2,097 8,547 2,984 13,628
Carmen - 1. La Paz 2. Taba Total	1,500.000 806.000 2,306.000	2,496 1,422 3,918
Panabo - 1. San Vicente City 2. San Pedro 3. Cagangohan 4. J.P. Laurel Total	792.030 256.040 512.400 914.030 2,474.500	7,882 3,983 11,028 2,736 25,629
Babak - 1. Caliclic District 2. Kinawitnon 3. Miranda 4. Camudmud 5. Balet 6. Tagpopongan 7. Libuak Total	305.810 246.810 292.670 444.460 801.310 1,407.850 471.460 3,970.370	1,609 2,059 5,022 1,964 2,384 1,298 1,032 14,368
Samal - 1.Catagman District 2. Limao 3. Aundanao 4. Cawag 5. San Jose 6. Tagbay 7. Aumbay Total	403.000 493.000 1,373.000 269.000 762.000 537.000 358.000 4,195.000	765 1,904 1,154 2,523 1,360 1,101 1,893 10,700
Kaputian – 1. Adecor District 2. Kaputian (Poblacion) 3. San Remegio 4. Pangubatan (Talicud) 5. Tagbaobo 6. Sta. Cruz 7. Dadatan 8. Linosutan 9. Cogon 10. Kanaan Total	420.000 1,701.000 580.000 735.000 815.000 1,387.000 666.000 395.000 395.000 806.000 7,900.000	1,961 3,733 1,926 1,250 1,795 3,620 1,162 1,113 2,008 1,473 20,041
Grand Total	25,205.090	88,284

Source: Provincial Engineer’s Office

Municipal / City Planning & Dev’t. Offices

The coastal contour of Davao is irregular and composed of bays and estuaries, which make fishing safer. Davao Gulf is a safe fishing ground.

Municipal wharves are located in the district of Samal and Babak, all in the Island Garden City of Samal. Privately owned ports are located in Panabo and in Tagum, which are being utilized for shipment of export banana. The Municipality of Panabo and Tagum City are the identified Provincial Agri-Industrial Centers of Davao del Norte. As such they aim to develop a modern port facility in order to attract investments in the area and facilitate the possible growth in export.