THE Philippines announced its participation in a United States initiative against illegal fishing during a conference in Washington, D.C., late last week.
Launched by US Secretary of State John Kerry, the initiative, called the Safe Ocean Network, is aimed at creating a global community to better combat illegal fishing around the world through knowledge sharing and better coordination.
More than 40 counterillegal- fishing projects, worth over $82 million, are affiliated with the Safe Ocean Network. Partners include Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, the European Union, Gabon, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Palau, Panama, the Philippines, Portugal, Senegal, Seychelles, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Vanuatu; and other non-governmental and multilateral institutions dealing with the issue of illegal fishing.
As a Safe Ocean Network partner, the Philippines is committed to undertake activities to better combat illegal fishing.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has been a partner of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the US Agency for International Development since 2015 on the “night lights” satellite-boat detection using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The application of VIIRS has been most useful in fisheries management during the closed season for fishing of sardines and round scads in major fishing grounds. VIIRS has successfully set up alert services in areas covered by the closed season. “These open-source data proved to be more useful in assessing the effectiveness of new policies, monitoring fishing activities, fish stocks and enforcement purposes,” stated BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona, in announcing Philippine support for the Safe Ocean Network.
Foreign Secretary Perfecto R. Yasay Jr. and Gongona, who is concurrent agriculture undersecretary for fisheries, led the Philippine delegation to the conference.
The Our Oceans conference brought together heads of state, scientists, business leaders, non-governmental organizations and others to tackle key issues, including marine-protected areas, sustainable fisheries, marine pollution and climate-related impacts on the ocean.