Government should develop a program that will upgrade the capabilities of municipal fishers to increase their production and contribution to national food security, according to food advocacy group Tugon Kabuhayan.
In a virtual briefing yesterday, Tugon Kabuhayan said there are 265,481 municipal fishing vessels and 957,551 registered municipal fishers in the country. However, most of these vessels are very small and are not equipped with engines.
Tugon Kabuhayan said catch can be increased if fishers are given vessels made from fiber glass material fitted with flotation chambers and separate compartments for ice and fish to maintain the quality of catch.
“If we design these municipal fishing vessels properly, they have the potential of operating beyond these waters, enabling them to catch more fish and at the same time decrease the pressure on the municipal waters,” the group said.
It noted that based on current estimate, building a 3-gross ton fiber glass boat of 30 feet x 4.5 feet x 3.3 feet including two 18-horse power engine would cost around P250,000 while an additional P150,000 to P200,000 is needed to be fit the vessel with a basnig, a gear“The total cost to build the entire vessel with the gear is more less half a million pesos. This is money well spent considering that each boat has a potential of catching 75,000 kilos in 150 days that when valued at P25 per kilo will already amount to P1,875,000,” Tugon Kabuhayn said. – Jed Macapagal
