Local government units (LGUs) that benefit from the rich marine resources of the Tañon Strait are urged to strictly implement fisheries laws to protect and conserve marine resources.
Oceana’s oceans campaign manager Danny Ocampo has reiterated the need to “highlight the importance of our marine resources in providing food security”.
The fish conservation week, which was held recently is an important event to highlight this, Ocampo said Wednesday afternoon in an interview.
“In Tañon Strait, this is especially relevant for the 42 local government units of Cebu, Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental”, Ocampo stressed.
Tañon Strait, declared by law as a Protected Seascape, by former President Fidel V. Ramos under Proclamation No. 1234 of 1998, separates the islands of Cebu and Negros.
Oceana Philippines, a non-government international entity, is continuously working closely with government authorities in the strait on marine conservation and protection, and most especially in the campaign against illegal commercial fishing.
It is promoting the implementation of the law that mandates the use of Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMMs), a new technology that allows the real time tracking of fishing vessels.
“Most Filipinos rely on the sea not only as a primary source of food and protein but also as a source of livelihood”, Ocampo noted.
“It is very important for fisheries laws to be implemented and compliance is encouraged from the fisheries sector”, Ocampo added.
Meanwhile, Oceana Philippines Vice-president Atty. Gloria-Estenzo Ramos was quoted as saying: “Let us honor and ensure compliance with our fisheries and environmental laws while mainstreaming science-based decision-making and engaging citizens for the protection of our seas. These are the key ingredients for restoring the health of fishing grounds like the Tañon Strait, as we strengthen partnerships among stakeholders to ensure seafood security for all, forever”.
Oceana participated recently in the activities of the 54th Fish Conservation Week spearheaded by the Bureau of Fisheries (BFAR) Region 7 in Cebu, a media release from Oceana said.
“This is an important celebration to highlight the importance of fisheries for food security, while emphasizing to our people that we have to conserve our marine resources now,” BFAR Central Visayas Regional Director Dr. Allan Poquita was quoted as saying.
BFAR also launched the Cebuano primer on the Fisheries Code as amended by RA 10654 in collaboration with Oceana. The primer highlights the salient points of the amended Fisheries Code, including provisions on vessel monitoring, Citizen’s Suits and Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP), Oceana said.
During the event, a special map highlighting the hotspot areas in the Cebu side of the Tañon Strait where illegal commercial and destructive fishing plus other violations of the law occur, was unveiled. It was the product of various workshops of the Tañon Strait’s Small Management Units Cebu Cluster. (Judy Flores Partlow/PNA)
