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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Filipino fishers may soon be allowed in Indon waters
By Christie Enriquez-Uayan
FILIPINO fishermen who deliberately fish in the Indonesian waters may soon be allowed to do so legally by the Indonesian authorities, Presidential Assistant for Mindanao and Mindanao Economic Development Council (Medco) chair Jesus Dureza announced recently.
Citing the development as a product of the East Asean Growth Area (Eaga) cooperation, Dureza said the plan to allow the entry of Filipino fishermen in Indonesia is a policy win for the Philippines.
"Noon ang navy officer ng (Before, the navy officer of) Indonesia takes pride in the number of Filipinos he caught. But now, with the legalization of the practice soon, fishermen may now catch fishes there," said Dureza.
He added that Indonesians were impressed over the Filipinos' skills and "technical expertise" in catching fishes.
Dureza said the good news was worked out bilaterally during the recent Tuna Festival in General Santos, where the Indonesian Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Resources as well as the Navy officer, and their Filipino counterparts were present.
According to Dureza, fishermen who catches an average of more than 30 tons of fish may acquire a fishing license from the Indonesian Navy officer, while those who can catch below 30 tons may get their permits from the local officials of Indonesia.
The implementing rules and guidelines of the bilateral agreement are still being completed by both countries, he said.
Tuna highway
Dureza said Filipinos choose to fish in Indonesian waters because it is where the "tuna highway is located."
"Before the tuna reaches General Santos, dumadaan muna yan sa (it passes through) Indonesia, particularly North Sulawesi and Gorontalo. But fishermen want to catch them even before they reach GenSan that's why they prefer to go to Indonesia," Dureza said.
He also mentioned a possible joint venture between a Filipino fishing company and an Indonesian group but refused to elaborate to avoid pre-empting the agreement.
(September 10, 2003 issue)
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