World Bank Financing By $200 Million PH’s “Blue Economy” – The Reality Of Overfishing Makes The Concept Of The “Fish Management Area” Truly Necessary
(inset image from PCAF, pcaf.da.gov.ph)
In a letter to PH Secretary of Agriculture William Dar, WB Country Director Achim Fook said:
We fully support the
goals of the FishCoRe Project to sustainably improve incomes of Filipino
fisherfolk, and support resilient coastal communities through enhanced
ecosystem management, productivity-enhancing technologies, aquaculture, reduced
post-harvest losses, value-chain infrastructure, and related activities.
Mr Dar, chief of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to which
the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is attached, says FishCoRe,
a 7-year project, is BFAR’s “medium-to-long-term intervention to increase
resiliency (considering) climate change and as a bounce-back strategy for the
country’s ‘blue economy’ amid the Covid-19 pandemic (restrictions).”
BFAR has divided the Philippine archipelago into 12 Fish Management Areas (FMAs) in which
“to sustainably manage fishery resources through a science-based and
participatory governance framework.” Science must be followed, implemented by
people from different groups public and private.
FishCoRe will benefit 500,000 stakeholders in fish capture
and culture in FMAs 6 and 9 covering 11 regions and 24 provinces, 32 million
hectares of waters. FMA 6 covers the coastal waters off the West Philippine Sea
including Pagudpud Bay, Subic Bay, Manila Bay to Lubang Island; FMA 9 covers
the waters in Bohol Sea, Panguil Bay, Iligan Bay, Gingoog Bay, Butuan Bay, and
Sogod Bay.
Mr Dar said:
We are optimistic that
the FishCoRe Project will be able to establish examples of good governance
mechanisms, leading to better management of the “blue resources” and
aquaculture development.
Here are the “key growth targets” – (a) increase in
household income, (b) increase in value-added fishery commodities, (c)
reduction in postharvest losses, and (d) reduction in illegal, unreported and
unregulated fishing incidences. In fact, (b) and (c) are designed to improve
(a) income. Differently, (d) is designed to conserve resources by preventing
overfishing.
Ah, overfishing is subtle. In technical terms, overfishing means
“catching fish faster than stocks can naturally replenish themselves.” In
practical terms, you catch the small fish and the females with eggs – and bring
them home. Without small ones growing, how can there be more fish to catch
later? Female fish with eggs – I remember as a young boy fishing with a hook or
fish trap made of bundled tips of bamboo (the Ilocano “rama”), everyone wanted
the fish eggs!
No,
nobody told us that if we ate the pregnant females with their delicious eggs,
who will give birth to the next generation of fish? We had eaten the next
generation! A scientific fact that most fishermen either do not realize or do
not accept.
The
reality of overfishing makes the concept of the Fish Management Area truly
necessary. It is long overdue. Congratulations, Secretary Dar!@517
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