Palace vessel monitoring order ‘victory’ for fishers

FISHERFOLK declared “victory” after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued an order to start implementing vessel monitoring measures (VMM) for commercial fishing boats.

In a statement, Ruperto Aleroza, vice-chairman for the Basic Sector of the National Anti-Poverty Commission and a representative of Artisanal Fisherfolk, said the start of the VMM rollout was the result of collective effort.

“This is a victory of collective action… for fighting for the implementation of the (VMM regulation) and strictly monitoring municipal waters against the illegal entry of commercial fishing vessels,” he said.

Mr. Marcos, who is also the Secretary of Agriculture, directed the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to work with the Office of the Executive Secretary to draft the implementation rules for Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 266, according to a statement issued by the Presidential Communications Office last week.

They were also instructed to work on studies to rehabilitate and maintain the country’s marine habitats to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF).

Mr. Marcos also ordered a study on establishing Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones to designate areas for sustainable fishing, as well as to review the licenses of commercial fishing vessels that fail to comply with FAO 266.

FAO 266 bars fishing activity for vessels that do not comply with the VMM order.

In March, the Palace suspended VMM for commercial fishing vessels through a memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, “pending the final resolution over its constitutionality by the Supreme Court.”

Oceana, an environmental advocacy, has said the order contradicts Republic Act No. 10654 or the Amended Fisheries Code. It also warned that the Philippines could face international sanctions from the European Union — the country’s biggest market for fish and seafood products — which requires trading partners to address IUUF.

“We laud the President for listening to the call of the people who are seriously affected by the suspension of the vessel monitoring rules,” Oceana Acting President Rose Liza Eisma-Osorio said.

Ms. Osorio said that failing to curb IUUF has resulted in overfishing and depletion of fish stocks in fishing grounds that coastal communities depend on, causing “immense poverty and hunger.”

“Small fishermen rely on VMM for commercial fishing vessels so as not to be robbed of fish catch that we feed on our families and sell for income,” said Norlan Pagal, president of the Anapog Fisherfolk Association. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera