3-month closed season in Davao Gulf set

The three-month closed season for the Davao Gulf will resume beginning June to allow tuna and other fish species to spawn.

A Joint Administrative Order by the secretaries of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government mandated the implementation from June 1 to August 31 of the closed season in the Davao Gulf.

“The closed season for commercial fishing boats aimed to conserve marine resources, to secure the spawning period of pelagic fishes in the gulf and improve the country’s compliance with the European Commission’s regulations specifically on unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing,’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Davao Region Director Fatma Idris said.

She said the Davao Gulf is an ideal and potential spawning and breeding ground for tuna and tuna-like species. Of the 49 municipalities in the region, 30 are categorized as coastal.

Idris said study confirms that tuna spawns inside Davao Gulf where most of them can be found near the mouth of the gulf. Thus, she added, special attention and strict enforcement s should be given near the mouth and eastern portion of the gulf where high concentrations of tuna was found.

The government's campaign against IUUF is one of the measures being implemented to remove the country's yellow card tag given by the European Union (EU).

Perez said unless the country shapes up and complies with the other conditions set by EU then it may be banned from exporting its fish resources in one if its main markets. The Philippines has exported P9.4 billion of fish products to the EU in 2014.

Under the terms of the Closed Season, fishermen or fishing companies will not be allowed to catch pelagic fishes using ringnet and bagnet. The ban also applies to small-scale to large scale commercial fishing with vessels from 3.1 gross tons (GT) to more than 150 GT. (lovely carillo)

Fisherfolk affected by El Nino gets to get free fingerling from BFAR

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Davao Region is ready to provide fingerlings to fisherfolk affected by the El Nino phenomenon.

"BFAR can readily provide assistance to fisherfolk in terms of fingerlings dispersal," BFAR Davao Region Director Fatma Idris said. However, she added, the beneficiaries should prepare their fishponds because fingerling dispersal would be wasted if the ponds have dried up.

There must also be a report from the city government that the fisherfolk are really victims of the El Nino for freshwater areas.

City Agriculturist Rocelio Tabay has reported that the El Nino has resulted to production losses in the fishery sector involving 304,985 Metric Tons (MT) specifically 11,185 MT of tilapia and 293,800 MT of hito.

The damage to the fishery sector due to the dry season is estimated to cost P33,324,650. A total of 927 fisherfolk have been affected as their ponds are already in the harvestable stage.

Idris said there must be a declaration of a state of calamity since most of the barangays have been affected.

The City Council failed to make the declaration due to lack of quorum with only 14 councilors present during last week's session. Regular session will resume on May 24 since the session hall is still being used for the counting of votes.

Councilor Bernard Al-ag however said the declaration of a state of calamity can be made through an emergency session called for such reason.