The Philippines and Papua New Guinea signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on fisheries cooperation, which will promote fishing ventures in their waters and encourage the conduct of joint research activities.
Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol led the Philippine team from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agency, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), into forging stronger ties on fisheries development with the National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea.
Piñol and Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources Patrick Basa signed the MOU on Fisheries Cooperation in Quezon City on February 1.
The MOU follows the first MOU signed by the two governments in 2009, which state provisions on mutual cooperation, consultation and exchange of technical assistance in fisheries research and development in the Philippines and Papua New Guinea.
The DA said in a statement that the MOU also identifies
several areas of cooperation, including the promotion of fishing ventures in
both countries’ waters, postharvest and fish-processing development, training
and technology transfer and joint
research activities.
To ensure the implementation of the MOU, a Joint Committee on Fisheries Cooperation composed of representatives from both countries was established. The DA said the MOU will remain in force for a period of five years and will be reviewed for renewal.
Fisheries management
Conservation advocacy group Oceana Philippines supported the Bfar’s move to declare the country’s major fishing grounds as fisheries management areas (FMAs).
Oceana Philippines issued the statement after the Bfar issued Fisheries Administrative Order 263 establishing 12 FMAs on January 28. The order also seeks to provide a science-based and participatory governance framework for the management of these FMAs.
“In the past, the government divided our waters into fishing grounds. The primary focus then is exploitation patterns. Now, by declaring FMAs, we are focusing on conservation and participatory management. That is, if this order is properly implemented,” Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said in a statement.
An FMA is delineated based on approximate stock boundaries, range, distribution and structure.
Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas & Jonathan L. Mayuga