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Stakeholders meet
to mitigate negative impacts of aquaculture
DILIMAN,
Quezon City - A national gathering of fish farmers,
fisheries researchers and policy makers from
both the government and the private sector is
slated to be held here in Quezon City to formulate
strategies in mitigating the negative impact
of aquaculture and assure its sustainability.
The meeting is sponsored by the Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture
and PHILMINAQ, short for Mitigating Impact from
Aquaculture in the Philippines and will be held
on January 31, 2008 at the Imperial Palace Suites
in Timog Avenue , Quezon City . Some 200 fisheries
stakeholders are expected to participate coming
mostly from local government units and non government
organizations involved in aquaculture and environmental
concerns, research institutions, the academe,
Fisheries Aquatic and Resource Management Councils
and national government agencies concerned with
aquaculture and the environment
PHILMINAQ is a European Union funded project
whose main objective is to enhance the capabilities
of the Philippine government in monitoring,
control and enforcement of aquaculture in a
sustainable manner within the guidelines of
the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
The Code intends to assists member countries
to promote a safe and responsible fisheries
and aquaculture.
Task to implement the PHILMINAQ project are
the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR), UP-Marine Science Institute, Scottish
Association of Marine Science and the AkvaPlan-Niva
of Norway .
BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr. said
that his vision for Philippine aquaculture is
one that provides more food, more employment
and more foreign exchange rather than an aquaculture
that result to habitat destruction, pollution
and farming-induced calamities such as fish
kills. In no way that the environmental integrity
should be compromised, he said
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“Beginning this year, the implementation
of organic aquaculture will be intensified by
the bureau nationwide. BFAR will introduce environment-friendly
fish species like giant gourami, grass carp, bangus
and new tilapia strains that will feed mostly
on organic feeds such vegetable trimmings, aquatic
plants like duckweed and filamentous algae. Also,
organic-base fertilizers and pesticides for use
in pond preparation will also be encouraged,”
Sarmiento said.
“Aquaculture will continue to be the
main source of food fish for the Philippines and
the main growth driver for the agriculture sector”,
Sarmiento promised.
Joint
administrative order
A major highlight of the meeting is the presentation
and signing of the Joint DA – DENR –
DILG Administrative Order No 1 that gives definition
and identification of the areas of cooperation
and collaboration among the Department of Agriculture
(DA), the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR) and the Department of Interior
and Local Government (DILG) in the planning, management
and control of aquaculture development of the
country to mitigate adverse impacts on the environment.
Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap, DILG Secretary
Ronaldo Puno and DENR Secretary Lito Atienza will
sign the joint administrative order.
Another highlight is the launching of the Aquaculture
Guidebook for the LGUs, formulated under the PHILMINAQ
project to help LGUs address the negative environmental
impacts associated with aquaculture.
The LGUs are depicted throughout the guidebook
as the main player in the management and maintenance
of ecological balance within their territorial
jurisdiction, with national agencies providing
the necessary support through policy formulation
and standard setting, technical assistance and
information dissemination.# |
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