Campaign: Promote Responsible Fishing

Apparent commercial fishing in municipal waters pervades despite the COVID19 pandemic with a mere 4.7 percent reduction in the number of what appeared to be commercial fishing vessels inside the municipal waters, from 44,952 in 2019 to 42,934 in 2020.  Palawan topped the list of provinces with 6,964 of the 44,952 in 2019 and with 6,202 detected out of the total of 42,934 in 2020. Masbate … Read more

The Tañon Strait Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) executive committee approved the resolution to require the installation of vessel monitoring for all commercial fishing vessels within the protected seascape. “We laud the move to require vessel monitoring for all commercial fishing vessels along Tañon Strait. It is an effective tool to deter and stop illegal … Read more

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) National Director Eduardo Gongona stressed the need for stronger enforcement measures to achieve sustainable fisheries and seafood self-sufficiency in the Philippines. “We have to maintain and protect our traditional fishing grounds. If we properly enforce our fisheries law, then we will have enough fish. We need action, and … Read more

In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte emphasized the need to enforce fisheries laws, particularly in combatting illegal fishing.  “We welcome President Duterte’s pronouncement on fisheries law enforcement as a priority. For a country that is dependent on the seas for its sustenance and livelihood, we certainly need to be … Read more

Key fisheries stakeholders met to discuss the amended Fisheries Code or Republic Act 10654 and the recently signed implementing rules and regulations (IRR), which sets stiffer penalties and tightens rules against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. More than 100 delegates from the academe, science community, local government units, fisherfolk, and non-government organizations attended the … Read more

Republic Act 10654, which amends the Philippine Fisheries Code, lapsed into law on February 27, 2015. It seeks to “prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated” or IUU fishing in the country. On Monday, April 13, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) convened the 41-member technical working group (TWG) that will draft … Read more