The dug-out trawl fishery is comparatively a new industry developed in Manila Bay during the last three or four years. The fishery consists essentially of a small otter trawl net rigged to a motorized dug-out and operated on shallow, smooth littoral areas to catch shrimps, crabs, slipmouths, soles and whitings. At this writing about 500 units are in active operation in Manila Bay and the gear is now being introduced in other fish¬ing grounds of the Philippines. Conservative estimates place the total investment in this new industry at about half a million pesos worth of fishing craft and equipment. The growing importance of this new fishery has led to a study of the fishing L craft and gear, its operation, the fishermen and composition of the commercial catches. The study was conducted in Manila Bay in the environs of Navotas, Rizal, during August and September, 1954.