The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) first-ever collaborative project with the World Bank (WB) is ready for implementation in August following its approval by the latter’s board of executive directors last month.
BFAR said the seven-year Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency (FishCoRe) project with a total funding of $209 million (P11.42 billion) is set to provide multiple fisheries interventions to enhance both ecosystem and community resilience and will benefit over 1.15 million fisherfolk, small to medium enterprises, other fisheries stakeholders, and residents in coastal communities across 11 regions and 24 provinces in the country.
The FishCoRe project eyes to adopt an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management to enhance the value of fisheries production and elevate income in coastal communities through science, knowledge and technology.
Specifically, the project will support the development and implementation of appropriate fisheries management policies, improve institutional capacities for strengthened law enforcement, establish support facilities for the rehabilitation of coastal and marine habitats and other necessary investments to balance increasing productivity while conserving the country’s natural resources.
FishCoRe also aims to develop aquaculture and fisheries enterprises in aqua-industrial business corridors through subprojects like satellite multi-species hatcheries, offshore mariculture in climate-resilient cages, post-harvest handling and fish/shellfish processing with packaging and labeling intervention apart from the provision of climate-resilient technologies and storage house for dried seaweed production, among others.
The project also seeks to develop and diversify fisherfolk livelihood through various technologies like integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, community-based nursery production of sea cucumber, abalone, sea urchin, aquasilviculture, stock enhancement activities, and the like.
The development of infrastructure such as fish landing sites, fish ports, cold storage and mobile laboratory facility and equipment are also priorities of the project.
BFAR said the project will also be implemented in two fisheries management areas (FMA), the FMA 6 and 9 or the major fishing grounds on the northwest coast of Luzon and in archipelagic waters between the Visayas and Mindanao.
These FMAs were selected after a two-stage selection process where 12 other FMAs were assessed based on a set of criteria drawn and agreed upon by the Department of Agriculture and BFAR and submitted to the WB in the early stages of preparation.
“This project is a holistic approach which confronts from all sides the various long-standing issues being faced by the fisheries sector; from ensuring the sustainability of our fisheries and coastal resources for food security, to enabling maximized benefits of our fisherfolk towards poverty reduction through improved management on all facets to ensure a robust and resilient fisheries sector,” said Demosthenes Escoto, BFAR national director, in a statement.
