Group raises alarm on suspension of fishing vessel monitoring

MANILA, Philippines — Oceana Philippines has raised the alarm over the government’s order to suspend the monitoring of commercial fishing vessels in the country.

The international advocacy group said the government’s decision puts the Philippines at risk of another yellow card warning by the European Union just as the country averted a crisis on safety certifications.

The group objected to a memorandum that suspended the implementation of the rules requiring vessel monitoring mechanisms (VMM) for all commercial fishing vessels under the Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 266.

The group said this could merit a yellow card warning and even lead to the Philippines losing access to the country’s biggest market for fish and seafood products in the EU.

It noted that the country has not been able to fulfill its commitment to ensure real-time VMM coverage, eight years since the EU lifted the yellow card warning on the Philippines.

Data showed that only 58 percent compliance from commercial fishing vessel operators, indicating the Philippines has fallen short of its efforts to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The suspension of FAO could effectively result in the country’s failure to strengthen the monitoring, control and surveillance within its waters.

This could lead to overfishing, depletion of fish stocks and further harm to the country’s vulnerable fisheries and marine resources.

“The said directive is regressive and brings us back to an open access system which has caused overfishing and illegal fishing to thrive for decades and a bane to our small-scale fisherfolk who are deprived of the marine resources and suffer from the encroachment of our municipal waters by commercial fishing vessel operators,” said Oceana vice president Gloria Ramos.

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on March 13 directed government agencies to suspend the FAO 266, citing the principle of ex abundanti cautela or “from an abundance of care.”

Oceana argued that this move contradicts the country’s Amended Fisheries Code and international commitments, such as Article 94 of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) that requires states to ensure effective exercise of their jurisdiction and control over their vessels.

It also is a violation of the International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing that promotes sustainable fishing practices, as well as the UN FAO conduct for responsible fisheries.