12 marine sanctuaries launched

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Twelve more Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) were launched in San Joaquin town this week to preserve the source of livelihood of small fisherfolk in this town.

This made a total of 15 marine sanctuaries, each with an area of 2,000 hectares, covering all 22 coastal barangays of the town.

These will be maintained and protected with the help of the barangay officials and the entire community, said Mayor Ninfa Garin who also led the launching of the program.

Garin said they piloted the project in three coastal areas in Lawigan, Tubog and Tiolas, which gained positive results. “A few months after we started the project the catch of the fishermen increased, so we decided to go full blast with the project,” Garin said.

The mayor also encouraged the neighboring coastal towny of Miagao to identify and preserve marine sanctuaries to thwart illegal fishers in that place.

In support of San Joaquin’s coastal resource management program, Governor Arthur Defensor, Sr. gave P800,000 for the purchase of a rubber boat complete with scuba diving and deep water equipment. The town was the first to receive such help.

Garin said the rubber boat will be used for patrolling the marine sanctuaries and could also be used by the town’s emergency responders in times of disaster or emergency.

Defensor, represented by newly confirmed Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo, together with representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center attended the turnover rites of the rubber boats. – THE FREEMAN