Groups optimistic about fisheries law development

CEBU, Philippines – Fisherfolk organizations and members of non-government conservation and fisheries organizations lauded the passage of a law that would enforce the amended Fisheries Code of the Philippines.

“RA 10654 is a significant milestone in our collective goals of implementing the law without fear or favor. The amended Fishe-ries Code is beneficial to the whole fisheries industry, including the fish workers. With its enactment, the road to recovery of Philippine seas has begun. The strong and empowering features of the amended law will now allow our seas to recover from decades of unabated exploitation, dwindling fish stocks and the degradation of our marine ecosystems,” the groups said in a statement.

Republic Act 1065 amends the Philippine Fisheries Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

In the joint statement, Dennis Calvan and Dr. Jose Ingles of NGOs for Fisheries Reform, Vince Cinches of Greenpeace-Philippines, lawyer Rocky Guzman of Oceana Philippines, Pablo Rosales and  Ruperto  Aleroza  of  Pangisda Pilipinas PKSK–National Union of Rural Based organizations, and the Institute for Social Order Tambuyog Development Center,  Inc. commended the strong leadership of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources under Undersecretary for Fisheries Director Asis Perez and other stakeholders  for being inclusive in the vigorous process of crafting the rules and mechanisms that would prevent, deter, and eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The group added that the benefits accruing from its full implementation, such as eradication of illegal commercial fishing and unsustainable fishing from our waters, will extend to artisanal fishers who are the poorest of the poor.

“Indeed, a healthy and vibrant ocean is key to addressing poverty,” the statement reads.

The groups said the next phase to look forward to is the implementation of rules that govern the determination of reference points, establishment of harvest control rules, and those for the Vessel Monitoring Mechanism (VMM), to track and monitor the behavior of commercial fishers.

The transition, the groups said, will result to long-lasting benefits that will contribute greatly the collective welfare of present and future generations.

“Let us not lose sight of our vision: healthy and thriving seas that will be able to provide livelihood and food for fishers and their communities, supported by a flourishing seafood business sector that significantly contributes to the economy,” the statement reads further.

Vince Cinches, Ocean campaigner of Greenpeace Philippines, said the country is now officially in transition from unsustainable ocean that benefits only unsustainable fishing industry to one that has the welfare of the nation and the seas at its core.

“With this strengthened law, we expect that municipal fishers will now be able to fully enjoy the bounty of the oceans that is being robbed out from them by greedy commercial fishing operators,” Cinches said.

The groups are also calling on the government and the scientific community to start the determination of the status of stocks in order to know the exact number of boats that are allowed to fish.

“Taking out illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is just a start to allowing our seas to recover, and consequently addressing the problem of poverty in coastal communities and food insecurity across the country,” Cinches said. —/JMO (FREEMAN)