TABLE OF CONTENTS DA-BFAR Gears Up Programs for the Philippine Fishery Sector in 2023 DA-BFAR Welcomes New Sets of Leaders Region in Focus The Editor’s Note Oplan Asin: Pasiglahin, Sariling Ating Asin! 4th Philippine Shark Summit: “Partnerships for Shark Conservation” 348 16 21 26 Section 124 Non-Compliance with the Requirements for the Introduction of Foreign or Exotic Aquatic Species What ISDA Name? 27 13 About the cover: The cover features a female salt farmer in Dasol, Pangasinan happily harvesting salt from an ‘irasan’ or traditional salt beds lined with clay, one of the primary ways of producing salt in the country through a method called solar drying.
ADVISORY BOARD Atty. Demosthenes R. Escoto Director Isidro M. Velayo, Jr. Asst. Director for Technical Services Zaldy P. Perez Asst. Director for Administrative Services EDITORIAL BOARD Nazario C. Briguera Editor-in-Chief Kaye Kirsteen M. Alegado Junior Editor Mary Joyce S. Kipte Mark Kevin P. Reginio Renielle N. Capanzana Christine C. Fabro Xeane Izec T. Atienza Writers Joyce Ann A. Javier Jade Ronn R. Ambrosio Lay-out Artists 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 L. Signey, CESO V I - Rosario Segundina P. Gaerlan II - Dr. Angel B. Encarnacion, CESE III - Wilfredo M. Cruz NCR - Noemi SB. Lanzuela, D.F.Tech IVA - Sammy A. Malvas IVB - Emmanuel H. Asis, DFT, CESE V - Ariel U. Pioquinto VI - Remia A. Aparri VII - Allan I. Poquita, Ph.D. VIII – Dr. Hannibal M. Chavez IX - Al-Zath K. Kunting, RFP X - Edward B. Yasay XI – Raul C. Millana, MFT XII - Usop D. Pendaliday, Jr. XIII - Omnia B. Olama BARMM Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Agrarian Reform - Minister Mohammad Yacob Regional Information Officers Rodelyn De Vera Jamille Ann Estolas Aileen Silva Gedielyn Morales Mildred Alan Rosalie Cuyugan Elvira Lutero Veverlyn Samadan Jenie Gardon-Loyola Mary Frietzy Alvarez Dennis Macalindong Anjelica Tiarra Dela Cruz Kristelle Rodane Tadal Jessica Cordova Rowena Briones Rheane Joy Senangote Kim Monterona Christine Gresola Imelda Kimpa Christine Lyn Viajante Jixselynn Portacion Omar Sabal Janel Padro Andy Ordoña Concepcion Canlas Johanna Mae Padama The Fish Files Magazine is published by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and 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: CASTING THE NETS ANEW Another year has passed and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources casts the nets anew in seizing new breakthroughs for the fisheries industry. This year, the Bureau’s goal is aligned with the long-term plan of increasing fish production through aquaculture. Behind this plan is the aim to contribute to food security while easing pressure from capture fisheries and enabling our resources to recover. Increased fish production through aquaculture is envisioned to be realized by executing strategies that the government and key stakeholders jointly drew up. To spur the growth of aquaculture, various interventions are identified along the value chain covering the areas of pre-production, nursery production, grow-out production and post-harvest and marketing. To ensure that aquaculture drives the spike of fish production volume, various specific strategies that will address the need for sufficient supply of fry and fingerlings are formulated. This includes the improvement of national technology centers and TOS, operationalization of legislated hatcheries and many other similar interventions. For grow-out production, the intensified promotion of fish cage culture in mariculture parks and potential offshore areas is a primary measure. Providing our fish farmers with the necessary post-harvest, logistic support and marketing assistance in every segment of the value chain completes the list of strategic action points. The full implementation of these carefully considered and formed strategies would allow the government through the DA-BFAR to guarantee that fish is readily and sufficiently available for all Filipinos at all times. With the continued support from stakeholders and the new leadership breathing in new inspiration to the whole organization, it is very likely that the Bureau will haul victories not only in making sure that fish is abundant, but also in securing the economic progress in fish and fish farming communities throughout the country. CASTING THE NETS ANEW Another year has passed and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has casted the nets anew to seize new breakthroughs for the fisheries industry. This year, the Bureau’s goal is aligned with the long-term plan of increasing fish production through aquaculture. Behind this plan is the aim to contribute to food security while easing the pressure from capture fisheries and enabling our resources to recover. Increased fish production through aquaculture is envisioned to be realized by executing strategies that the government and key stakeholders jointly drew up. To spur the growth of aquaculture, various interventions were identified along the value chain: covering the areas of pre-production, nursery production, growout production, and post-harvest and marketing. To ensure that aquaculture raises the volume of production, specific strategies that would address the need for sufficient supply of fry and fingerlings were formulated. These include the improvement of National Technology Centers and Technology Outreach Stations, operationalization of legislated hatcheries, and many other similar interventions. For grow-out production, the intensified promotion of fish cage culture in mariculture parks and potential offshore areas is a primary measure. Providing our fish farmers with the necessary post-harvest, logistic support, and marketing assistance in every segment of the value chain completes the list of strategic action points. The full implementation of these carefully considered and formed strategies would allow the government through the DA-BFAR to guarantee that fish is readily and sufficiently available for all Filipinos at all times. With the continued support from stakeholders and the new leadership breathing in new inspiration to the whole organization, it is very likely that the Bureau will haul victories not only in making sure that fish is abundant, but also in securing economic progress in fish and fish farming communities throughout the country.
4 | FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 DA-BFAR gears up programs for the Philippine fishery sector in 2023 The future of the Philippine fisheries remains optimistic in 2023 as the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) lays down straightforward goals in achieving a fishsufficient nation through continuous implementation of programs and reforms in equitable and sustainable means. In a bid to sustain organizational excellence, the DA-BFAR will embark on a year of intensive management, development, and regulation of the country’s fishery and aquatic resources. Alongside is the Bureau’s vision to enhance research and development and capability building of fisheries stakeholders, and provision of supplementary livelihood for poverty alleviation, among other significant interventions in line for the improvement of the fisheries sector. Modernizing the fisheries sector and maximizing efforts to increase local fish production are still among the Bureau’s top priorities this year. DA-BFAR is targeting to launch more legislated hatcheries in different provinces nationwide in order to achieve local fry sufficiency and augment the production of the aquaculture sector in the area and nearby provinces. The program also targets to increase the variety of cultivable species in the country, promote species diversification, and provide venues for fisheries extension services.
FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 | 5 DA-BFAR gears up programs for the Philippine fishery sector in 2023 As part of the government’s intervention to modernize and improve the capacity and efficiency of municipal/small-scale fisherfolk, the DA-BFAR provides upgraded fishing boats and fishing gears through the Capacitating Municipal Fisherfolk Program. Last year, about 37 units of 62-footer fishing boats composed of 27 reinforced plastic (FRP) handline fishing boats, six (6) FRP bagnet fishing boats, and four (4) purse seine fishing vessels, were funded and acquired, while another 52 units of 62-footer fishing boats will be funded this year. In addition, the DA-BFAR’s National Lambaklad Program, a community-based program that seeks to promote sustainable fishing using an environment-friendly fishing technology, has been operational in nine locations across the country, with four units under construction, and three additional units to be awarded and operationalized by the third quarter of 2023. Meanwhile, the Bureau underscores the continued implementation of the Development of Salt Industry Project (DSIP) in order to increase salt production and produce excellent quality salt. To date, the Bureau has already provided fishery on-farm equipment and post-harvest facilities, upgraded storage units and warehouse facilities, training and capacity building workshops, and technology demonstrations. In continuation, another Php100 million will be downloaded to seven DA-BFAR regional offices this year. At least 153,117 fisherfolk individuals are set to benefit from the government’s fuel subsidy, while programs have also been lined up to support fisheries in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), one of the biggest contributors in fisheries production among the regions. More significantly, the recent approval of the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) will benefit a total of 26,877 registered fisherfolk in different coastal provinces. This project will also address problems in the fishery sector such as declining fish catch, high post-harvest losses, and high poverty incidence among fisherfolk.
6 | FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 Upward direction in attaining fish food self-sufficiency In 2022, the DA-BFAR has carried out its efforts in attaining sufficiency of fish supply through innovation, modernization, and intensification of the Bureau’s programs despite the challenges that hounded the fishery sector. The Bureau’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL), a program which aims to rejuvenate the country’s major bodies of water to optimize their economic benefits, enhance fisheries towards sustainability, and repopulate indigenous species in support of biodiversity conservation and food sufficiency, has stocked more than 17 million fingerlings in different areas nationwide and has produced a total of 19,520.20 metric tons of fish. Meanwhile, a total of 48,852 fisherfolk and 207 groups benefited from the 34,659 units of FRP boats that were distributed through the Bureau’s F/B Pagbabago Livelihood and Development Program to date. The Bureau’s long-standing efforts to prevent, deter, and eliminate all forms of Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) activities continued throughout the past year with a total of 4,402 fishery law enforcement field operations, which included seaborne, fish landing denial, market denial, fisheries checkpoints, and investigations. Of this, some 632 resulted in apprehension.
FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 | 7 Upward direction in attaining fish food self-sufficiency For 2023, DA-BFAR’s Fisheries Regulatory and Law Enforcement Program targets to assist hundreds of groups and thousands of individuals through the continuous implementation of Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance; Quality Control and Inspection; Quarantine, Registration, and Licensing; and Coastal and Inland Fisheries Management. True to its journey as a catalyst of progressive fisheries, the Bureau will continue to sustain its effective implementation of programs that promote sustainable use and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources to secure fish food sufficiency for every Filipino.
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22 | FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 The waters surrounding the Philippines are teeming with life, home to over 200 species of sharks and rays, all of which play a crucial role in maintaining a balanced marine ecosystem. However, these magnificent creatures are also among the most threatened in the world due to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, wildlife trade, unsustainable ecotourism practices, and lack of awareness among fisherfolk. In a bid to address this issue, the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) and the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP) have joined forces to hold the two-day 4th Philippine Shark Summit last March 2-3, 2023, at the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Quezon City. The Summit with the theme, “Partnerships for Shark Conservation,” is the highlight of the celebration of this year’s Shark Conservation Week. The activity aims to showcase the progress of key players and stakeholders in shark conservation and management, identify challenges hindering progress, set targets through the development of the Shark Conservation and Fisheries Management (SCFM) Framework, and invigorate a movement towards sustainable livelihoods and economic stability while ensuring the preservation of marine biodiversity. On the first day of the Summit, the presentations included the second iteration of the Philippine National Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks (2017-2022 NPOA Sharks). The DA-BFAR and the DA - National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) also shared their initiatives and progress in shark fisheries research and management. Civil society organizations, including the MWWP, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), were also given a platform to report their progress towards the goals identified in the 2017-2022 NPOA Sharks and the 2018 Shark Summit Conservation Plan. The second day of the Summit featured workshops aimed at refining the SCFM framework in the areas of research, communications, governance, and stakeholder involvement, with the primordial objective of advancing the shark conservation while ensuring sustainable livelihoods for all fisheries stakeholders. The recently concluded Conference of the Parties in 2022 adopted new species to be listed under CITES, including Requiem
FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 | 23 and Hammerhead Sharks and Freshwater stingrays. Additionally, the DA-NFRDI and MWWP launched information, education, and communication materials on eight protected aquatic species and eight regulated aquatic species to spread awareness on the conservation and protection of these species. To concretize these efforts, a Shark Conservation and Fisheries Management Framework was finalized during the summit. The national management framework aims to address the importance of shark resources in the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable use of these resources for succeeding generations. The framework ensures that shark catches from directed and non-directed fisheries are sustainable, and that stocks of healthy shark, ray, and chimera populations are sustained in the country for the benefit of Filipinos and Filipino fisherfolk. During the 4th Philippine Shark Summit, DA-BFAR Director Atty. Demosthenes R. Escoto underscored the importance of not losing sight of the goal of conservation and preservation of aquatic species and the life of our seas: The 4th Philippine Shark Summit highlights the importance of preserving the Philippines’ shark species and the rich biodiversity of our seas. The DA-BFAR will always be in solidarity with the government and non-governmental organizations, as well as individuals, in the responsive, innovative, and proactive trajectory of the Philippines’ blue economy, one summit at a time. A lot is in store for us in this 4th Philippine Shark Summit. Yet, it is my ardent hope that, in the multiplicity of our efforts through the conduct of various events and activities, we may not be drifted away from the strides leading to our ultimate goal–that all our initiatives are for the conservation of all aquatic species and preservation of the life of our seas. The DA-BFAR will always be in solidarity with government and non-governmental organizations, as well as individuals, pushing for the commitment of taking care of our only planet Earth. “
24 | FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 Culmination of IYAFA Marks a Milestone for Sustainable Development in Artisanal Fisheries The United Nations declared 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) to recognize the significant contributions of small-scale fishers and fish farmers in providing food security, preserving aquatic ecosystems, and promoting sustainable livelihoods worldwide. As the IYAFA drew to a close, the Philippine government, through the Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), gathered artisanal fisherfolk groups, civil society organizations as well as colleagues from the national and local government to mark such a momentous occasion. Front and center Being one of the largest archipelagic countries in the world, the Philippines is dependent on its fisheries and aquaculture sector with regards to its economy and food security. Artisanal fisheries and aquaculture play a crucial role in the Philippine economy, providing jobs and livelihoods to more than two million Filipinos living in the coastal communities. According to the preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country’s fisheries sector produced 4.3 million metric tons of fish and fishery products in 2022.
FISH FILES 1st QUARTER 2023 | 25 More than half of this production is attributed to aquaculture and municipal fisheries. The celebration of IYAFA puts the artisanal fisherfolk front and center. Recognizing their massive contribution to the country’s fisheries production, IYAFA provides an ample platform to identify the challenges artisanal fisherfolk face and posit significant and productive solutions. Back to back Those in attendance during the celebration last January 31 to February 1, 2023 had their hands full, as the National Coastal Fisheries Presummit went back to back with the culmination of the IYAFA. The proceedings began with the National Coastal Fisheries Pre-summit. The event, which was held on Tuesday, January 31, focused on the important role that millions of small-scale fishers, fish farmers and fish workers play in food security. Various speakers from all over the fisheries sector highlighted the need to improve awareness and to promote collaborative action among all concerned agencies in solving the issues surrounding the fisheries sector. During the culmination of IYAFA, which was held on Wednesday, February 1, fisherfolk leaders presented the 10-Point Philippine Blue Agenda on Sustainable Fisheries, appealing for support towards its realization. In response, the Bureau, along with agency representatives as well as those in attendance, reaffirmed their commitment to rally behind the fulfillment of the Agenda. Throughout the two events, participants shared their experiences, insights, and recommendations on how to address the challenges facing the coastal fisheries sector. They emphasized the need for science-based approaches, the empowerment of women and youth in fisheries, and the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights. They also called for the integration of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction measures into fisheries management plans. IYAFA Culmination A huge milestone for the small-scale fisheries and aquaculture sector, the various knowledge exchange and capacity-building activities throughout the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture are not only an opportunity to showcase the country’s rich aquatic resources and traditional fishing and farming practices. It is mainly a call to action to ensure the welfare and rights of fisherfolk and fish farmers and to preserve the country’s marine biodiversity for future generations, serving as a reminder that the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, particularly the artisanal sector, plays a vital role in the country’s food security and economic development. IYAFA has provided a strong foundation for further progress and development for Filipino artisanal fisherfolk. With the DA-BFAR at the helm and the strong support of the fishery stakeholders, the country’s fisheries sector is ready to build on this momentum and ensure that small-scale fisheries and aquaculture can continue to contribute to sustainable development and the well-being of coastal communities around the country.
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In collaboration with Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines and Philippine Aquatic Red List Commitee (PARLC)