TABLE OF CONTENTS Attracting Sustainability, Catching Success Through DA-BFAR’s TCMZ and Payao Programs Exemplary Coastal Communities Recognized At MMK 2020 Awarding Ceremony Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Boat Construction Training The Editor’s Note A Fisherman’s Dream: A Fish Pond Fishyalan in Sumlang Lake DA-BFAR Presents Floating Assets Against IUU Fishing 348 20 23 25 Guidelines for the Establishment, Operation and Maintenance of Fishery Post-Harvest Infrastructure Facility and Machinery (DA Administrative Order No. 17 Series of 2022) What ISDA Name? 27 16 About the cover: This edition’s cover of Fish Files portrays a Filipino fisherfolk’s fervent spirit and burning passion in spite of the challenges that they encounter. With hope for a brighter Philippine fisheries sector, this fisherfolk from Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon readies his harvest of seaweeds after a day’s work.
ADVISORY BOARD Eduardo B. Gongona Director Drusila Esther E. Bayate Asst. Director for Research, Regulations and International Engagements Atty. Demosthenes R. Escoto Asst. Director for Administrative Services Sammy A. Malvas Asst. Director for Operations EDITORIAL BOARD Nazario C. Briguera Editor-in-Chief Kaye Kirsteen M. Alegado Junior Editor Mary Joyce S. Kipte Renielle N. Capanzana Mark Kevin P. Reginio Micah Bernadette T. Manalo Xeane Izec T. Atienza Writers Joyce Ann A. Javier Lay-out Artist Glaiza R. Hernandez Technical Researcher Crisel S. Marcelo Distribution Zoilo M. Aquino Randy Emmanuel M. Dela Cruz and Regional Information Officers Photographers Regional Advisers Regional Directors CAR - Lilibeth Signey I - Rosario Segundina Gaerlan II - Angel Encarnacion III - Wilfredo Cruz NCR - Hannibal Chavez IVA - Sammy Malvas IVB - Elizer Salilig V - Nelson Bien VI - Remia Aparri VII - Allan Poquita VIII – Juan Albaladejo IX - Isidro Velayo, Jr. X - Teodoro Bacolod, Jr. XI – Raul Millana XII - Usop Pendaliday, Jr. XIII - Nilo S. Katada, Ph.D. BARMM Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Agrarian Reform - Minister Mohammad Yacob Regional Information Officers Rodelyn Foronda Remely Lachica Jamille Ann Estolas Rhodamel Soriano Aileen Silva Jemimah Keren Carag Mildred Alan Rosalie Cuyugan Lanie RJ Lamyong Elvira Lutero Mary Frietzy R. Alvarez Dennis Macalindong Veverlyn Samadan Jenie Gardon-Loyola Jessica Cordova Nonie Enolva Joel Abalayan Alma Saavedra Christine Gresola Imelda Kimpa Jessie Acapulco Jixselynn Portacion Ma. Erika Kristabelle Guerrero Omar Sabal Andy Ordoña Concepcion Canlas Johanna Mae Padama The Fish Files Magazine is published by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resourcesand distributed free of charge to interested individuals and institutions associated with fisheries and aquatic resources. You may send contributions to: The Editor, Fish Files Magazine Fisheries Building Complex, BPI Compound, Visayas Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City Email: [email protected] [email protected] THE EDITOR’S NOTE About the cover: GOOD NEWS FROM THE GROUND The popular American English proverb, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” reminds us to stay strong and focused amid difficult situations. There are times, however, that no matter how hard we try to keep a positive outlook, we are still overpowered by negativities that surround us. Have you ever experienced not wanting to turn the TV set on simply because you cannot take anymore discouraging, if not sickening news stories? Worry not, you are not alone. So, how do we keep going despite the tough situations that we are in? Go and get yourself some respite. With this issue of Fish Files, we are pleased to give you some dose of good news. The patterns and tones of this quarter’s edition from the ground will allow our readers to shrug off any negative thought which might be nesting inside their heads. Take for instance the story of Sumlang Fisheries Association (SFA) in Camalig, Albay. The story is about a group of fisherfolk and fish farmers who persevered in putting together their efforts to develop a portion of Sumlang Lake into a famous interactive tourist attraction now dubbed as “FishYalan”. With some support from the government through the DA-BFAR’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa or BASIL program, the sincerity and commitment of the SFA members to help in cleaning up the lake has paved the way for the development of an eco-tourism enterprise in the area, with the fisherfolk at the forefront. As you flip through the pages, be ready to be amazed by the success stories of coastal communities who won the 2020 Malinis At Masaganang Karagatan or MMK, the national search for outstanding coastal community. The stories of MMK winners speak volumes of the remarkable role of local communities in achieving the nation’s food security by ensuring that our seas are protected and conserved for the present and future Filipinos. So, do you still feel grumpy about facing disheartening stories? Read through the pages of this Fish Files issue and get some good news, straight from the ground!
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8 | FISH FILES 3rd 8 | FISH FILES 2 QUARTER 2021 nd QUARTER 2022 EXEMPLARY COASTAL COMMUNITIES RECOGNIZED AT MMK 2020 AWARDING CEREMONY The month of May was capped with festivity as the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) recognized exceptional coastal municipalities at the Awarding Ceremony of the Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK): The National Search for Outstanding Coastal Community 2020 held at Pasay City, Metro Manila. The unfortunate delays leading to the awarding ceremony due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic did not spoil the joy and excitement of the five (5) finalists, as the DA-BFAR recognized each of their contributions in taking care and protecting our rich marine resources. One of the flagship programs of the DA-BFAR, MMK recognizes the exemplary initiatives and achievements of coastal municipalities in coastal and fisheries resource management. Five regional winners—Del Carmen in Surigao del Norte, Hinunangan in Southern Leyte, Libertad in Antique, Mahinog in Camiguin, Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon—vied for the top spot. These finalists had risen above the competition from a pool of 50 nominated coastal municipalities, implementing projects in accordance with the five criteria highlighted by the MMK. These finalists had risen above the competition from a pool of 50 nominated coastal municipalities, implementing projects in accordance with the five criteria highlighted by the MMK. These include the absence of illegal fishing in their waters, observance of closed fishing season, declaration of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), an effective mangrove protection and rehabilitation program, and the presence of a clean coastal water without any garbage or industrial effluence flowing to the sea. Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte & Mahinog, Camiguin
FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 9 “ Kung nasaan po tayo ay nakasalalay sa tamang pagharness natin ng mga resources na ito ay nakasalalay sa polisiya at implementasyon ng ating local government units and this MMK is a very important mechanism to take cognizance of the contribution of local government units.” In the middle of the powdery-white sand beaches of the renowned tourist destination Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte lies the municipality of Del Carmen, one of the five finalists of the MMK. With its thick and sprawling mangrove cover which spans 4,871 hectares or almost a fourth of its entire area, Del Carmen has been dedicated in developing and implementing its extensive Mangrove Management Plan and building the premiere Mangrove Protection and Information Center in the country. This resulted in a rich and abundant biodiversity in the nearby waters, which in turn has supported the livelihood of thousands of fisherfolk. The municipality of Mahinog, Camiguin also qualified as a finalist of the MMK 2020, largely due to its commitment to its government platform of ACLEan Mahinog or Act, Care, Love, and Educate. Guided by this principle, the municipality has successfully carried out a sustainable fisheries campaign by implementing concrete initiatives. These initiatives include the elimination of illegal fishing incidents in its waters in 2019 through an intensified fishery law enforcement program, as well as other conservation efforts such as the establishment of six Marine Protected Areas and the implementation of closed season in its waters. Mahinog also boasts of its “SCUBAsurero” program, an underwater clean-up drive, which, together with the municipality’s other coastal sanitation programs, aims to protect its marine ecosystems from pollution. However, even with the strong and effective initiatives implemented by these two municipalities, only three out of the five finalists stood out among the rest as the winners of the MMK 2020. USec. Cheryl Marie Natividad-Caballero DA Undersecretary for AgriIndustrialization and for Fisheries
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FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 11 MMK 2020 Third Placer Libertad, Antique strictly safeguards its nine Marine Protected Areas, home to fish which serves as food to the abundant supplies of yellowfin and bigeye tuna in the area. As these high-value fish provide livelihood opportunities and food for fisherfolk communities, Libertad has been decisive in maintaining its healthy seas through the implementation of closed fishing season for fish fry in its waters, along with the town’s comprehensive municipal fishery program. Moreover, Libertad is also committed to its comprehensive Solid Waste Management Program, which has contributed much in protecting its waters against pollution and the degradation of its coastal resources. Coming in second place, the municipality of Hinunangan, Southern Leyte is steward to four Marine Protected Areas. Since their establishment, delineation and protection, these four MPAs have exhibited a boost in its hard coral and seagrass cover, leading to increased fish diversity. The municipality has also enforced a three-month closed fishing season on siganids, which is also known as rabbitfishes or more locally, danggit. With the closed season, the fishery commodity continued to be a major fishery resource of the town, and has experienced a sustained increase in its production since 2017. Finally, bagging the top spot as the Grand Winner of the MMK 2020, the municipality of Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon has proven itself the best of the best, utilizing participatory processes in its law enforcement and thus, almost completely eliminating illegal and destructive fishing practices in its waters since 2017. Robust anti-illegal fishing activities aside, Prieto Diaz has built upon convergence initiatives, aimed towards expanding opportunities for stakeholder participation and empowering its people and the entire community to be involved. This, in turn, sets a high social acceptability for the various projects in taking care of their fishery resources.
12 | FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 Libertad, Antique THIRD PLACER Hinunangan, Southern Leyte SECOND PLACER Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon GRAND WINNER
FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 13 Awarding Ceremony Message of the President All five finalists, most especially the three national winners, were in attendance for the Awarding Ceremony. Their moment of triumph was graced by DA and BFAR officials and staff, as Usec. Caballero and BFAR National Director Eduardo B. Gongona conferred the honor to the MMK winners. “Since its inception in 2016, the MMK has always aimed to promote fisheries protection and conservation, highlighting the significance of sustainably managing our fisheries and aquatic resources, and promoting stakeholder engagement to the cause of resource protection and conservation,” Director Gongona said. As the grand winner, the municipality of Prieto Diaz shall receive P30 million worth of fisheries livelihood projects. Moreover, second placer Hinunangan, Southern Leyte and third placer Libertad, Antique are set to receive P18 million and P10 million worth of fisheries livelihood projects, respectively. Along with these prizes, the DA-BFAR also bestowed plaques of recognition and trophies to the three national winners. “Mahalagang masugpo ang iligal, mapinsala, at walang habas na pangingisda. Marapat ding bigyang solusyon ang lumalalang polusyon at pagkasira ng mangrove areas. Ito ang layunin ng programang Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan,” Secretary Dar said in a video message during the event.
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20 | FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 Amid the growing industrialization around the Sumlang Lake in Camalig, Albay, there lies a modest and tranquil fish pond; a Fishyalan being run and managed by the Sumlang Fisheries Association (SFA). Hidden at the outskirts of the lake, a well-designed gate carrying the name, “Fishyalan”, with two fish on top will greet you with amazement. As you walk down the man-made bamboo bridge covered with rubber mats, you will see the beauty of the entire fish pond. On the nearest right is a small store – the receiving area – where tourists can buy fish feed for 20 pesos and fishing rod with bait for 50 pesos. The store also sells varied goods and drinks as refreshments for customers. A bamboo table and benches, good for 10 to 12 persons, are set up in front of the store. Further down the bridge, on the right is a pond full of koi and on the left is a pond dedicated to tilapia. Tourists may feed the koi and the tilapia, but only tilapia can be fished from the lake. Tourists have the option to buy their catch for P150 per kilo or have the tilapia cooked at the store. Members of SFA, themselves, designed the whole fish pond: from the rainbow-colored flags attached on bamboo fences and origami-like leaves on the ceiling of the bridge enhanced with yellow incandescent light bulbs to the well-designed posters and call cards around the fish pond.
FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 21 The enterprise, meanwhile, only started when the Fishyalan program was introduced to the association. Under the program, the Bureau provided the association with 10,000 pieces of fingerlings, bamboo, drums, and fishing nets to start their own Fishyalan. Unfortunately, their first attempt was destroyed by a series of typhoons that ravaged the municipality. Fortunately, there were generous people who helped them rise from the ruins. Ariel narrated, “Lahat ng drum, inipon. Dinala muna ni kapitan doon sa storage niya para hindi mawala… Tapos, pumasok naman ito si Ma’am Jerlinda Cruz (from DA-BFAR Region V)... Tapos, sabi niya, itong pag-uusapan natin para ito sa ikabubuhay ng taga-rito para bumangon ng paonti-onti… para may pagkukunan kahit hindi masyadong madami para hindi magutom kasi pandemic nga po.” The Bureau, for the second time, awarded the SFA with another set of bamboo and fishing nets, 30 pieces of drums, 97 sacks of fish feed, and 10,000 tilapia fingerlings. Where It All Began What is now a tourist attraction side-by-side the balsa ride and kayaking in Sumlang Lake, this Fishyalan was once a childhood dream of Ariel Nacor, president of Sumlang Fisheries Association. “‘Yan ang pangarap ko sa buhay ko na since na ano pa ako, maliit pa ako, kasi lahat ito (the lake) marumi noon… Sabi ko nga, papaano kaya ito magiging maganda? Kasi ang [sic] maganda ang tanawin, paligid. Konting trabaho lang siguro, sabi ko,” he recalled. The dream began materializing six years ago with the help of the provincial government of Camalig, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). At first, members of SFA – although the association was not born yet – commenced the cleaning of the lake under a food-for-work basis, a program of the DSWD. After a day of labor, workers would be given a bag of rice each. After a few months, DA-BFAR Region V reached the Sumlang Lake and helped fishermen form the association through the Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) project. Ms. Aida Andayog of the regional office assisted the members of SFA in registering their association, which now has 55 proud members. The association was given P100,000 under the BASIL project in exchange for them cleaning the lake. Yet, instead of using it as a capital, the cash was equally divided among the members who joined the cleaning operation.
22 | FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 “Maganda ‘yan, lahat makikita mo tapos may mangingisda, nakakatulong ka sa kapwa mo. Lahat dito hindi maghihirap para may isda, pangkain sa araw-araw,” Ariel’s ultimate dream. What It Is Now With the renewed strength and hope to start anew, Ariel went to Barangay Captain Felipe Napa Jr. to ask for further help. Fortunately, the barangay captain openheartedly helped. “Sabi niya, ioopen ko itong lugar na ito para lahat ng turistang papasok dito, pagdating dito sa dulo kahit papaano may kita yung association kahit hindi malaki. Sabi niya, huwag ka na lang maningil ng entrance kasi bayad na yan dun sa gate… Sabi ko, e di okay lang. Feeding lang, pero ang feeding dapat control [sic]. Onti-onti lang,” he recalled. During peak days, around 100 tourists come to the Fishyalan, mostly to feed while some to fish. The largest profit of the association was recorded in March and April – during the summer season – at P14,000 and P32,000, respectively. The association also put up a small sari-sari store to sell goods and drinks to tourists after a tiring fish feeding and catching. The store provides individual SFA members an avenue to sell their own products to gain extra income. With the success of their fish pond, Ariel, as the leader of the association, dreams of expanding the coverage of the pond by extending their man-made bridge to accommodate more tourists. Apart from the lot of their fish pond, there is still an estimated 10 hectares of government land the association can clean and develop for the expansion of their Fishyalan.
FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 23 DA-BFAR PRESENTS FLOATING ASSETS AGAINST IUU FISHING IN PHOTOS: The Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) presented its floating assets before several partner government agencies to highlight the Bureau’s milestones in its fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and its development strides in the fisheries sector. Along with BFAR National Director Eduardo Gongona were DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit Evelyn G. Lavina, DA Assistant Secretary for the DA-Wide Field Inspectorate Federico E. Laciste, Jr., BFAR Assistant Director for Operations Sammy A. Malvas, and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Rear Admiral Charlie Q. Rances. The ceremony aims to underscore the milestone that the Bureau has achieved in its efforts to protect and conserve the Philippine fisheries resources as well as the strides born out of its commitment to scale up the state of the fisheries sector. The PCG and BFAR MCS captains were also recognized during the event.
24 | FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 To effectively streamline the fight against IUU fishing, the Bureau has acquired and deployed floating assets. To date, there are 107 units of floating assets which conduct continuous monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) operations in domestic waters. Among which are two units of 50-meter multimission vessels, ten units of 30-meter MCS vessels, and seventy units (70) of 30-footer multi-mission patrol boats. These interventions are manifestations of the Bureau’s steadfast commitment towards the fight against illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing in the Philippines.
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FISH FILES 2nd QUARTER 2022 | 27 SNUBNOSE GROUPER Epinephelus macrospilos (Bleeker, 1855) Found in lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 44 m; including outer reef slopes. More abundant on oceanic reefs and rare on coastal reefs Head profile angular; body less compressed and spots more closely spaced than E. corallicola and E. howlandi. Body and median fins with large dark blotches, largest towards the tail; further characterized by pale greyish color; head, body and fins with well-spaced dark brown to orange brown spots of unequal size; soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins with narrow white to yellow margin; lower part of head and breast with white blotches; 3-4 black blotches along back; body scales cycloid except ctenoid on lower region below pectoral fins; body with numerous auxiliary scales; greatest depth of body 2.9-3.6 in SL; rounded caudal fin; pelvic fins 1.8-2.4 in head length; head length 2.3-2.6 times in SL; flat or slightly concave interorbital area, dorsal head profile of adults with ventral bend at orbits; rounded preopercle, minute serrae mostly covered by skin and shallow indentation just above the angle; straight or slightly convex upper edge of operculum IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 16 November 2016 CITES Status: Not Evaluated Source: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Epinephelus-macrospilos.html Photo by Randall, J.E.