By
Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG
CITY -
The United Nation-Food and Agriculture Council (UN-FAO) which implements the
Regional Fisheries Livelihood Programme (RFLP)in the Philippines has recently
turned-over 11 patrol boats to the Sindangan Bay Development Alliance (SBDA).
In a ceremonial turnover held at the
city mayor’s office here, Mayor Evelyn, who represented Zamboanga del Norte
Governor Roberto Uy, received the patrol boats from UN-FAO representative Aristeo
Portugal with the presence of Regional Director Ahadula Sajili of the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-9 AND RFLP National Project Coordinator
Virgilio Alforque.
Mayor Uy said “the provision of the
patrol boats to partner LGUs and the province of Zamboanga del Norte will be of
big help to the LGUS in the implementation of fisheries law and discourage
illegal fishing activities, and promote responsible fishing in the municipal
waters.”
It can be recalled that in the past
three years, the RFLP had been engaged in capacity-building activities in
partnership with the member-local government units (LGUs) in the areas of
fisheries co-management, livelihoods, safety-of-life at sea, post harvest and
microfinance.
Under the component of fisheries
co-management, the RFLP led the formation of fisheries law enforcement teams (FLET)
as legal entities in each LGU and conducted orientation and training of FLETs
to boost their capacity in handling law enforcement.
The FLETs are deputized as fish wardens
and also work in tandem with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine
Coast Guard PCG) and other law enforcement government agencies.
As described by the Food and
Agriculture Organization’s Code of Conduct on Responsible Fishing, “the right to
catch fish carries with it the obligation to do so in responsible manner so as
to ensure effective conservation and management of the living aquatic
resources.”
The member-LGUs of the SBDA includes
the municipalities of municipalitie of Rizal, Sibutad, Katipunan, Roxas,
Manukan, Sindangan, Leon Postigo, Salug, Liloy, and the twin cities of Dipolog
and Dapitan. (PIA9)