GMA to address fishery woes at aquaculture meet

President Arroyo and Speaker Jose de Venecia are expected to address the policy concerns of the fishery industry at the end of the daylong National Aquaculture Congress on Oct. 27 at the convention hall of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management in Quezon City.

President Arroyo will deliver a response to the industry’s various concerns shortly after Speaker De Venecia tackles the legislative priorities for aquaculture, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Organized by BFAR and sponsored by the House agriculture and fisheries committee chaired by Rep. Luis R. Villafuerte, the congress starts with the opening remarks from Agriculture Secretary Domingo F. Panganiban.

"Villafuerte will discuss the goals and objectives of the aquaculture congress," said BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento. "Subsequently, leaders of the aquaculture industry will speak on the status and concerns of their respective sectors."

The status of the fisheries sector will be discussed by Geronimo T. Silvestre of Project FISH (Fisheries Improved for Sustainable Harvest), the aquaculture subsector component of the Comprehensive National Fish Industry Development Plan by Philip S. Cruz of Aquaculture Corp., and the strategic plans for five major commodity sectors – bangus by Alvin Gimelo of Bangus Association of the Philippines Inc., seaweeds by Oscar Monzales of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines, tilapia by Basilio M. Rodriguez of the Philippine Tilapia Inc., shrimp by Roberto Gatuslao of Philshrimp, and promising high-value species by Ramon Macaraig of Alsons.

The current and emerging technologies for aquaculture will be discussed by Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, while the export and marketing requirements of the supply chain will be tackled by Sandra S.J. Gozun of the Department of Trade and Industry.

For his part, Sarmiento will speak on the policy concerns in aquaculture.

The outputs from the discussions will be presented in plenary by lawyer Benjamin F.S. Tabios of BFAR, and its synthesis by Nelson A. Lopez, also of BFAR, before Speaker De Venecia details the Lower Chamber’s legislative plans on aquaculture, and President Arroyo makes a response to all their concerns.

The aquaculture congress, which ends with closing remarks from Sarmiento, virtually caps this year’s observance of the National Fish Conservation Week (NFCW) from Oct. 16 to 22.

The NFCW is now on its 42nd year since proclamation in 1963 by then President Diosdado Macapagal to avert the possible depletion of the country’s marine resources due to over-fishing, water pollution and use of destructive fishing methods.

"We are now tapping the youth and gearing up the regions in a vigorous national fish conservation campaign that will protect our aquatic resources while increasing incomes through sustainable development," Sarmiento stressed, citing this year’s NFCW team as Pinagyamang pangisdaan, pag-asa ng kabataan.

BFAR is the lead government agency that provides the country’s fisher folk with research and development, extension support, training, and regulatory services, while conducting information campaigns and policy formulation and planning for their utmost benefit.