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| Galunggong. Picture from Iloilo Metropolitan Times |
The provincial governments of Iloilo, Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Capiz have committed to adopting a fisheries management framework that will ensure a sustainable fishing industry and protect one of the country’s major fishing grounds.
The management framework is known as the “Commitment to Adopt and Implement the Management Framework for the Conservation, Protection, and Restoration of the Visayan Sea Fisheries Management Area,” is the result of collaboration between the national government, fisherfolks, local governments, scientists, the academe and civil society groups.
“We hope this historic milestone will pave the way for the official designation of the Visayan Sea as the first fisheries management area in the country with science-based management framework in place,” Oceana Philippines vice president Gloria Ramos said.
The Fisheries Management Area or FMA espouses a comprehensive science-based fisheries management plan will be enforced to ensure sustained productivity and protection from overfishing, illegal fishing, and destructive fishing practices under the Amended Fisheries Code.
It is also hoped that this will be replicated in other fisheries dependent areas in the country. As of now, the Visayan Sea provides food and livelihood to 100,000 municipal fisherfolks and about one million rural folks in 33 municipalities in five provinces.
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