The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday announced the 5th year implementation of the closed fishing season for galunggong or round scad in northeastern Palawan municipalities.
Myrna B. Candelario, acting center chief of BFAR Inland Sea Ranching Station (ISRS), said that the prohibition of commercial fishing activities from November 1, 2019, to January 31, 2020, aims to protect the galunggong species during its peak spawning season citing the observed increase in maturity size and catch trend upon the closed season implementation.
“From 2016 to 2019, positive yung trend na nakukuha natin at indication ito na effective yung programa kaya patuloy yung annual implementation sa Cuyo, Roxas, Araceli, at Dumaran,” Candelario said.
Some 1,302 fisherfolk affected will each be given P15,000 financial assistance totaling P5 million by Department of Agriculture-BFAR and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“Syempre hindi naman maiiwasan na hindi talaga sila manghuhuli. Yung Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIRS) ginagamit to monitor fishing activities sa area at may decrease naman in number from 828 noong 2015-2016 to 221 na lang ngayong 2018-2019,” she said.
Violators will be charged according to the penalties stipulated under Republic Act (RA) 10654 or the Philippine Fisheries Code.
The technical working group is composed of Department of Agriculture (DA); Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE); Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); Provincial Fisherfolk of Palawan (PFP); National Fisheries Research and Development Inc. (NFRDI); Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Palawan; Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Palawan; Western Philippine University (WPU), and Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO).
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