GOVERNOR Alfredo Marañon Jr. recently signed a Covenant of Commitment and Cooperation with the Province of Negros Oriental and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for the Conservation, Protection and Restoration of the Southern Negros Marine Key Biodiversity Area (SNMKBA).

The signing was held at the Governor’s Office with Ben Malayang III, BFAR – USAID (United States Agency for International Development) Fish Right Program principal investigator, Roberto Montelibano and Frank Carbon of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino.

The concerned parties all recognize that the marine resources must be conserved for the enjoyment, not only of a few for the limited present times, but for all Filipinos, both present and future generations, in keeping with the pursuit of sustainable development.

They have agreed to share relevant technical information, provide copies of publication and research materials and allow linking and information sharing.

They have also agreed that the parties shall adopt the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management as a Management Framework for the Conservation, Protection and Restoration of the SNMKBA, which will be the basis of joint Management Plan and Enforcement Plan formulated by each province for the harmonized implementation of SNMKBA. (PR)