FRMP BFAR News

[PeterIMA]

News


From Destructive Fishers to Sea Wardens

By Rose de la Cruz

GINGOOG BAY and Butuan Bay in Mindanao used to be among the most abused water bodies in the country through overfishing, dynamite fishing, fishing with the use of compressor and cyanide and other illegal fishing methods. The abusers were both the commercial and municipal fishers, who thought that the resources they had could last them a lifetime.

Now, the very same abusers of the sea have turned into astute and vigilant defenders and wardens, whose dwindling catch over the years and their frustrated attempts at getting food from the same marine waters to feed their families have forced them to atone for their past mistakes now for the sake of future generations.

A recent media tour of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Fisheries Resources Management Program (BFAR-FRMP) projects, gathered grateful reactions from the ranks of fishermen and local government executives first for making them aware of the sad consequences of their abuse of the seas and second for providing them with an alternative to catch fishing through aquaculture.

The media participants (including Rita Festin of the Asian Development Bank) were asked to interact with local executives and fisherfolk in remote coastal barangays of Butuan, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental and Cagayan de Oro, who have been converted into conservationists and preservers of the old glory days of these bays and implementing programs like fish farming in cages, mangrove renewal, seaweed farming and establishment of fish sanctuaries that have been slowly been paying off through the past years.

These interventions enabled the seas its needed respite and enabled it to regenerate. Now, most fisherfolk are noticing the return of fish species that they used to haul so abundantly from these waters but have disappeared in recent decades due to wanton abuse of the marine resources.

Local barangay and municipal councils have in fact instituted these programs through legal statutes and enforcing the ordinances to the letter with the help of the Philippine National Police and vigilant and concerned NGOs and people?s organizations.

Butuan Bay in Agusan del Norte serves 8 LGUs with 51 coastal barangays within a shoreline of 105 kilometers or about 118,000 hectares of municipal waters. The media were brought to Butuan City (8th class), Cabadbaran (4th) and five barangays in Carmen (2nd) Agusan del Norte headed by Mayor Jovitte Calo. In all these areas, the fishermen population had declined between 1995 and 2000 by a range of 22.52 percent to as much as 74 percent because of declining or no catch from this water body.

Similarly, BFAR Region 10 Director Arlene Pantanosas took the media to Gingoog Bay?s coastal towns of Magsaysay in Misamis Oriental where BFAR has a fish sanctuary and bangus fish cage; Gingoog City of Mayor Ruth Guingona; Talisayan of Mayor Rommel Matlog (the former hub of whale sharks and dolphins), Medina home of Duka Bay Resort where there is an intensive ecological study and restoration work on coral reefs and Balingoan).

In both bays, the commonly practiced destructive fishing methods before FRMP were: use of fine-meshed nets, active gears, compressor and poisonous or obnoxious substances. These led to damaged coastal habitat; depleted fishery resources; declining catch and poverty.

Interventions done by FRMP, were capability building of the fisherfolk, conduct of information and education campaigns, deputized fish wardens, organization of fishery law enforcement teams and coastal watchers (down to the youth level), and strengthened fisherfolk organizations. Each fish warden was equipped with hand-held radios and powerful flashlights and patrol boats.

To ensure that fishermen would still have something to earn from, BFAR provided the LGUs in both bays with fish cages to raise saline bangus and delineated fish sanctuaries (where only hook and line fishing is allowed). Some even had assistance for seaweed farming and mangrove renewal.

Because of these activities under FRMP, fishermen have increased their catch per day from 1 to 3 kilos (before FRMP) to 3 to 50 kilos now and their length of fishing was reduced from 8 hours to 4 hours giving them more time for the family and other endeavors.

There has also been a re-appearance of species like parrot fish, snappers, rabbit fish, tuna, groupers and turtles almost year-round for the past 2 years, reported

In Talisayan and Medina, Misamis Oriental, previously home to the whale sharks--- the largest fish in the world--- there have been sightings of the whale shark in early November and a school of dolphins (of approximately a hundred), reported Talisayan Mayor Matlog. Even Duka Bay Resort Inc. Eduardo Yap reported seeing a small whale and marine turtles in some of his dives.

The fisherfolk-turned-bay wardens vowed to protect the seas at all cost and never allow despoilers to prevail again in these bays, even if the illegal fishers are their relatives and friends.


From Destructive Fishers to Sea Wardens

Duka Bay: An Ecological Business Paradigm

Sharks and Dolphins Revisit Gingoog, Butuan Bays

An Estate for Culturing High Value Marine Species

BFAR Adopts Seaweed Farming in Northern Areas

BFAR FRMP Launches ?Awit ng Magdaragat?

Educators and Environmentalists
Gather for PEEC 2005

Discover CRM with Joey Ayala

Back to top

 

[PeterIMA]

Charges filed against Taiwanese poachers
By: Max Prudencio

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan ? A Criminal Complaint was filed by Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 2 (BFAR RO2) Fisheries Resource Management Division chief Cornelio Sebastian upon orders of BFAR Director Atty. Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. on Tuesday, April 11 against three Taiwanese fishermen with six Filipino crew ? members apprehended for alleged illegal fishing off the coast of Baguio Point, Baggao, Cagayan last April 7, 2006 by the Philippine Navy based at San Vicente Naval Operating Base, San Vicente, Santa Ana, Cagayan.

Unauthorized fishing and poaching case were filed at the desk of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jesusa L. Carag against Wu Mau ? Shuen (skeeper and owner), Horng Jia Ming and Ang Hu Lai all of Taiwan and their six Filipino crew ? members namely Jonathan B. Dican, Roger S. Lazo, Jun S. Lazo, Charles D. Simon, Reynante E. Dican and Mario N. Bal all of Babuyan Claro, Calayan, Cagayan.

According to reports reaching the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Taiwanese fishermen with Filipino crew ? members were apprehended on April 7 at the vicinity of Baguio Pt., Baggao, Cagayan on board Taiwanese Fishing Boat (TFB) with markings F/B W. Coast III, by elements of the Philippine Navy patrol vessel BRP 389 while conducting Maritime Law Enforcement Patrol in response to reports of local fisherfolks of Maconacon, Isabela on the presence of unidentified fishing boat conducting fishing activities within Maconacon Bay, Maconacon, Isabela.

Confiscated were assorted fish approximately 2000 kilos and tuna long line fishing gear among other fishing paraphernalia and vessel equipment. Confiscated items and equipment were turned over to the Bureau of Customs for custody while the Taiwanese nationals are to be turned over to the Bureau of Immigration, Aparri, Cagayan and detained on board their fishing vessel. The Filipino crew are under the custody of the Philippine Navy pending their inquest / preliminary investigation.
Administrative case will also be filed with the BFAR Central Office on April 17, 2006 for administrative liability pursuant to the provisions of Sections 86 and 87 of RA 8550

This TFB apprehension is the first recorded in region 2 since the conviction of Taiwanese poachers back in 2004.
BFAR RO2 Regional Director Jovita P. Ayson commended the efforts of the Philippine Navy and the vigilance of local fisherfolk, saying further that the apprehension should serve as warning to all foreign fishermen planning to conduct illegal fishing activities in region 2 territorial waters.

<http://region2.bfar.da.gov.ph/images/back.gif>



<http://region2.bfar.da.gov.ph/images/bfarpic2.jpg>

 

[PeterIMA]

Fisheries sector bats for a Department of Fisheries

PAMPANO, an umbrella organization of fisherfolks associations in the country is pushing for a fisheries department to replace the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in order to ensure the sustainable development of the fisheries sector and make it more responsive to global challenges.

Charlie Capricho, president of the Pambansang Alyansa ng mga Mangingisda at Pamunuan ng Organisasyon, Inc. who joined the rally of the BFAR employees against the rationalization plan of the Department of Agriculture yesterday said in his impromptu speech that they (his group) are ready to go back to the streets again should the government push through its plan of downgrading BFAR from a line to a staff bureau.

?We are urging President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to uphold the provisions of RA 8550 or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines which had given the BFAR a line status mandate. Instead of downgrading BFAR into a mere staff bureau, it should be upgraded to a Department?, Capricho avers.

He stressed that the proposed downgrading of BFAR will have a disastrous impact on the fisheries sector. ?The marked improvement in the lives of the marginal fisherfolk owing to the programs and interventions initiated by the BFAR as a line agency over the last five years will be put to naught should the rationalization plan takes off,? he added.

?The fisheries sector will once again be put to the wringer with rice and corn given the top priority. We have experienced this before. We will not allow it to happen again even if we would have to go back to the streets,? Capricho said.

?Rat? consultation dialogue

National Federation of Employees? Associations of the Department of Agriculture (NAFEDA) president Antonio Reyes revealed that the proposed Executive Order for the DA rationalization Plan has been forwarded already by the DA to the DBM earlier. This was learned during the consultation meeting held yesterday at the National Agriculture and Fisheries Council, he said.

?The Department has fooled the agriculture federation union by endorsing the rationalization plan without the needed signature of the NAFEDA president. Instead, they let the DA Employees Association or DAEA signed the said documents?.

?It is clearly stated in the DA Special Order 404 dated September 9, 2005 on the creation of the Change Management Team that NAFEDA is the accredited organization representing the agency?s employees unions?? he said.

NAFEDA is the umbrella organization of the 28 bureaus and attached agencies of the DA with more than 24,000 members. DAEA, on the other hand, is only an in-house employees union of the DA and does not represent the interest of the bureaus and attached agencies of the entire department.

Majority of the NAFEDA officers and other union officials walked-out from the consultation meeting and have instead agreed to stage a bigger rally on August 24.

COURAGE, the largest organization of all government employees had already signified their support and attendance to the said mass action.

BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. said he could not understand why the agriculture department is bent on pushing the downgrading of BFAR.

?I have agonizingly search for the wisdom of such a move, for while all the world is scrambling to strengthen their fisheries, most specially in aquaculture, to supply the ever-increasing demand for protein food, the plan would in effect render the fisheries agency inutil. This is bureaucracy at its worst?, lamented national fisheries director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr.

 

[PeterIMA]

Techno-park for ornamental fish to rise in Laguna Lake

In a bid to jumpstart the promotion and development of the country?s aquarium fish industry, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has inked an agreement with the Laguna Lake Development Authority and the Bio Research to establish an Ornamental Tropical Freshwater Aquaculture Techno-park in Laguna Lake.

The Techno-park will be a one-stop show window where technologies on the breeding and commercial growing of ornamental fish will be highlighted. It will be built in a sprawling 26-hectare area in Brgy. Bangyas, Calauan in Laguna in the coming months. The park will also include a 1-hectare research and pilot demonstration facility to be run by the BFAR and Bio Research.

BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. said that under the tripartite agreement, key infrastructures and technology transfer facilities for ornamental freshwater fish farming in the lake will be upgraded and broodstock improvement studies will be conducted to boost the development of the industry.

A significant development milestone in the fisheries sector, the agreement was signed by Director Sarmiento, LLDA General Manager Casimiro M. Ynares III, Bio Research President Wilson Ang and leaders of the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils of Bay, Siniloan, Biñan, and Cardona during the 1st National Ornamental Tropical Fish Symposium and Exhibit held recently in Makati.

World Scenario

Singaporean ornamental fish expert and consultant Dr. Lim Lian Chuan pointed out in his message during the symposium, that the Philippines has huge potential to become a major world player in ornamental fish production considering the numerous water bodies, tropical climate for uninterrupted year round production and readily available manpower and technical resources.

Citing Food and Agriculture Organization figures he said that the world market for aquarium fish is worth US$186M in 2003 and is still growing. Asian countries led by Singapore supplies 50 percent of the ornamental fish requirements of Europe, USA and Japan.

?What the market requires is something that is of the same (high) quality, affordable and is available given the quantity and time needed. These requirements could easily be met if the fish are grown in one single body of water and under the same culture conditions, which the country could easily provide?, Chuan stressed.

A promising industry

Sarmiento on the other hand lamented that despite the country?s advantages, the Philippines only shares around 3.8 percent of the total export supplied by the Asian countries and most of these ornamental fishes are marine species that are caught in the wild. The growing of ornamental fishes in the country?s lakes and other bodies of inland waters will be a big boost to the industry as 90 percent of the fish traded in the world market are freshwater species, he said.

Another advantage in raising ornamental fish is that it commands much higher prices than food fishes - typically at US$1.8M per ton. In contrast, the average FOB or freight on board value of food fishes exported by the country is only around US$2,700 per metric ton in 2004.

Sarmiento also said that the raising of ornamental fish such as goldfish, koi, angelfish, fighting fish and similar species is easy and cheap as the fish could be reared even in one?s own backyard.

?Various models and systems are now in display in BFAR centers at Butong, Batangas and in Binloc, Dagupan City, with residents of Laguna and Batangas who had undergone trainings in the said centers benefiting and have been producing aquarium fishes for two years now?, he said.

Marissa M. Mutia, chief of the BFAR?s National Fisheries Biological Center in Butong estimated that pond culture of guppy in a 1000 sq.m. area using 4000 breeders would enable the farmer to net some P298T/year. With annual fixed and operational costs estimated at P115,700.00 and P102,000.00, respectively, the payback period is 4.2 months.

Aquarium Fish Roadmap

Sarmiento added that under the 5-year ornamental fish development plan, developed by BFAR in collaboration with the private sector, the CALABARZON Region will pilot the various strategies as two of the largest freshwater lakes, Laguna Lake and Taal Lake are located in this region.

Rosa F. Macas, region IV-A (CALABARZON) Director projected that by 2010, the country is expected to supply at least 20 percent of the world market demand for freshwater aquarium fish and generate livelihood opportunities to at least 35,000 fisherfolks.

 

[PeterIMA]

FISHERIES RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Strengthening Fisheries Regulation and Rehabilitating
Damaged Fish Habitats

<http://www.frmp.org/images/frm_f_01.jpg> THE FISHERIES resource management (FRM) component of FRMP is actually the project itself since all of the activities of this component contribute to the development, implementation, and institutionalization of FRM as a regular program of government. FRM aims to strengthen fisheries regulation, rationalize the utilization of fisheries resources, and operations and delineating specific responsibilities of consultants that the project was divided into FRM, Income Diversification and Capability-Building components.

For project implementation purposes, FRM covers the following general subcomponents: FRM planning and implementation; monitoring, control and surveillance; and public awareness program.
<http://www.frmp.org/images/frm_f_02.jpg> FRM Implementation. FRM and CRM in the Philippine context are the same since fisheries exist in all coastal areas of the country where there are resident or transient communities. The management, therefore, of coastal resources utilized for fisheries is FRM or CRM. This includes other coastal resources that affect fisheries such as river systems, wetlands and lowland areas.

CRM interventions (or projects) always start with community organizing, since it facilitates the conduct of Participatory Community Resource Appraisal (PCRA) which is the prerequisite to the formulation of a CRM plan. Community organizing therefore is the initial CRM intervention. Community organizing facilitates the establishment of a fish sanctuary in a target community. When properly managed, a fish sanctuary guarantees the preservation of fish stocks in the area. It is now a rule of thumb that at least 20% of a fishing ground should be designated as fish sanctuary for it to have impact. In FRMP, the establishment of fish sanctuary is a joint effort of the community and the LGU, with the technical assistance of the area PIU and PMC.

A good coral reef habitat is always associated with an extensive mangrove forest along the coast. The mangrove forest does not only protect the coastline from accretion, but also serves as catch basin for water run off from land minimizing siltation and pollution in the adjacent waters. The Post-RSA contractors are now developing a handbook in the monitoring and evaluation of mangrove rehabilitation program as part of their TOR. This handbook is designed for use by the community fisheries management unit (FMU).

<http://www.frmp.org/images/frm_f_03.jpg> The preliminary assessment conducted by the Review Mission of the Asian Development Bank had already noted the dramatic increase in the level of awareness on fisheries resource management in FRMP areas. This factor is shown by active community participation in implementation of resource enhancement activities and fisheries law enforcement. Fifty-nine percent of the 1,063 barangays had drafted their Coastal Resource Management Plans, which were the basis of community-based resource enhancement activities such as sanctuary establishment and mangrove reforestation.

In some sanctuaries and mangrove areas, marine biomass and natural resources had increased by as much as 20 percent. Assessments showed that live corals within a fish sanctuary increased by 14 percent. Some fisherfolks in several sites reported 20 ? 50 percent increase in the catch. Fisherfolks also claimed that they have observed the reappearance of some fish species, such as sea turtles, groupers, breams and siganids.

Monitoring, Control and Surveillance. Central to fisheries resource management is the monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of all activities which affect the state of fisheries and coastal resources. MCS is a relatively new concept that integrates the various elements of data collection (monitoring), legislation (control), and fisheries law enforcement (surveillance). Hence, FRMP seeks to establish mechanisms that will regulate the fisheries sector in the municipal waters of the country.

In some sanctuaries and mangrove areas, marine biomass and natural resources had increased by as much as 20 percent. Assessments showed that live corals within a fish sanctuary increased by 14 percent. Some fisherfolks in several sites reported 20 ? 50 percent increase in the catch. Fisherfolks also claimed that they have observed the reappearance of some fish species, such as sea turtles, groupers, breams and siganids.

Monitoring, Control and Surveillance. Central to fisheries resource management is the monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) of all activities which affect the state of fisheries and coastal resources. MCS is a relatively new concept that integrates the various elements of data collection (monitoring), legislation (control), and fisheries law enforcement (surveillance). Hence, FRMP seeks to establish mechanisms that will regulate the fisheries sector in the municipal waters of the country.

<http://www.frmp.org/images/frm_f_04.jpg> FRMP has conducted a review of the existing computerized licensing system, with the purpose of updating it to meet the needs of BFAR and the target municipalities and to ensure that it complies with the provisions of the Fisheries Code (RA 8550). One of the main requirements was for the registration of eligible fish workers, vessels and gear. Following the review, it was agreed that the preferred course would be to develop a new systems with modern software and incorporate features such as the inclusion of new requirements like photographs for registering persons, vessels and other related items. The new system will soon be installed in all BFAR regional offices and the BFAR Central office, and initially, in 40 municipalities. FRMP is committed to provide training for all users of the new municipal fisheries licensing system.

FRMP will also assist BFAR in introducing a moratorium for the issuance of new licenses for vessels in the 3-250 GT categories.

To date, the new system was already completed, and versions of the system were installed on the computers at Puerto Princesa, Palawan, being the pilot site for the licensing development, and in the central licensing office of BFAR. Input was sought from the users at these sites to further refine the system to meet the current, as well as the proposed licensing requirements. At the time of this writing, the system is being integrated with the PhilFIS, specifically in the licensing violation database to make it a national system.

Training had already been provided to all regional licensing staff. Each unit was given a system CD with instructions as to how to install it. Some further training may be required as the decision to implement the systems is made in each region.

Setting up the municipal fisheries licensing system is being hindered by the lack of counterpart staff. Qualified personnel with the necessary computer experience were not readily available in the regional offices. It became obvious early in the development of the system that the simple installation of a computerized licensing system would not provide a working system for licensing. There was a clear need for infrastructure strengthening and training before this could be accomplished.

The operational requirements for implementing licensing systems, particularly at the municipal level, demand an organization to administer the system. In many, if not all, cases, the coordination between municipalities would have to be worked out. The system also needs a legal basis in the form on Municipal Fisheries Ordinances, which should have to be developed. This task was partly addressed through the introduction of the baywide management coordination initiatives.

Public Awareness Program. Among its work standards, FRMP reaches out to various stakeholders in different ways to generate public awareness and mobilize people?s support and material resources to implement the Project.

These stakeholders include the functionaries of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in all its levels of operation; local government officials and functionaries, in both the provincial, municipal and barangay levels; community members; non-government service organizations and people?s organizations; media; teachers and students; church officials and workers; and entrepreneurs, among others.

To prepare FRMP implementers operating in different levels and units of operation, the FRMP-IEC team has undertaken several trainings. With the <http://www.frmp.org/images/frm_f_05.jpg> orientation and skills shared during these trainings, FRMP implementers have been capacitated to produce their own IEC materials for dissemination to their various clienteles. BFAR Regional Offices now come up with their own newsletters. They also produce informative brochures and other IEC materials for particular clientele. Even the NGO partners now integrate and promote CRM concepts in their newsletters. Various technical reports, in the form of Information Papers, and books have been published or reprinted for distribution to implementers.

FRMP looks at the media as a potent partner in promoting CRM. Journalists are now encouraged to visit FRMP sites and report on how fisheries and CRM are being implemented in these areas.