Public hearing set for proposed dep't of fisheries

CEBU, Philippines - The House Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources will conduct a public hearing in Cebu next week on the proposed creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

Cebu Fourth District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, chairman of the committee, said the hearing in Cebu on Thursday, July 14, will be the first of the three public consultations that his committee intends to do in the Visayas, Luzon and Mindanao.

Salimbangon is inviting all the stakeholders to attend the public hearing. Among those invited were the Philippine Coastguard, Maritime Industry Authority and Philippine National Police.

The proposed Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act of 2011 sponsored by Representatives Luis R. Villafuerte, Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Marcelino R. Teodoro, Nur G. Jaafar, Deogracias B. Ramos Jr., and Angelo B. Palmones seeks to convert the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources into a separate department.

Under the proposed measure, the Department will have the authority to supervise and regulate the production and capture of fish and fisheries products within its jurisdiction, as well as the harvesting utilization transport storage, the processing and marketing of all aquaculture, fisheries and other aquatic products in the country. 

The Department shall also have the responsibility of rationalizing all ocean sector initiatives which impact on fish and marine resources or their habitat including, but not limited to: marine energy exploration and development; coastal and marine tourism; designation of shipping lanes; protected areas and marine industry development areas.

The Department shall have such regional offices as may be necessary in the administrative regions, which shall have the following duties and responsibilities that includes providing efficient and effective front-line service to the aquaculture, fisheries and aquatic industry sectors, particularly to the municipal fisherfolks.

An appropriation of P10 billion is also appropriated from the unappropriated funds of the National Treasury and the current budgetary appropriations of the BFAR. —(FREEMAN)