Form agri, fisheries dev't zones --- PBBM
By Raymund Antonio and Raymund Antonio
In an effort to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. now trains his sights on the creation of the Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones (SAFDZ).
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)
A statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday, June 20, said Marcos directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to study the establishment of SAFDZ to “provide fishery stakeholders with an area for sustainable fishing.”
The SAFDZ also aims to “review the licenses” of commercial fishing vessels (CFVs) that “fail to comply” with Fishing Administrative Order (FAO) No. 266, series of 2020, according to the PCO.
Marcos, who is also the Agriculture secretary in a concurrent capacity, made the decision during his meeting with DA and BFAR officials last week.
PCO noted the President emphasized the need for country’s compliance with its international commitments, particularly to the European Union (EU) on preventing IUUF.
During their meeting, Marcos also highlighted the importance of addressing the concerns of fisheries by “using a science-based approach in managing marine resources,” it added.
Apart from the SAFDZ, they discussed another measure to address IUUF which was for the two agencies and the Office of the Executive Secretary to come up with issuances to implement FAO No. 266, series of 2020, which requires CFVs to install vessel monitoring systems (VMS).
PCO said the President also wanted the DA and BFAR to further determine the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, as amended by RA No. 10654, which needs to be amended.
Marcos is seeking to boost the competitiveness of the local fishing sector with the continued interventions of the DA to advance the country’s agri-fishery practices that will increase the income of farmers and fisherfolk.
The BFAR is an attached agency of the DA, which Marcos heads.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (Photo from the Presidential Communications Office)
A statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday, June 20, said Marcos directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to study the establishment of SAFDZ to “provide fishery stakeholders with an area for sustainable fishing.”
The SAFDZ also aims to “review the licenses” of commercial fishing vessels (CFVs) that “fail to comply” with Fishing Administrative Order (FAO) No. 266, series of 2020, according to the PCO.
Marcos, who is also the Agriculture secretary in a concurrent capacity, made the decision during his meeting with DA and BFAR officials last week.
PCO noted the President emphasized the need for country’s compliance with its international commitments, particularly to the European Union (EU) on preventing IUUF.
During their meeting, Marcos also highlighted the importance of addressing the concerns of fisheries by “using a science-based approach in managing marine resources,” it added.
Apart from the SAFDZ, they discussed another measure to address IUUF which was for the two agencies and the Office of the Executive Secretary to come up with issuances to implement FAO No. 266, series of 2020, which requires CFVs to install vessel monitoring systems (VMS).
PCO said the President also wanted the DA and BFAR to further determine the provisions of Republic Act (RA) No. 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, as amended by RA No. 10654, which needs to be amended.
Marcos is seeking to boost the competitiveness of the local fishing sector with the continued interventions of the DA to advance the country’s agri-fishery practices that will increase the income of farmers and fisherfolk.
The BFAR is an attached agency of the DA, which Marcos heads.