FIVE governors continue to strengthen their effort to protect the Visayan Sea, one of the country’s largest fishing ground.
Governors Alfredo Marañon Jr. of Negros Occidental, Arthur Defensor of Iloilo, Antonio del Rosario of Capiz, as well as Governors Hilario Davide III of Cebu and Antonio Kho of Masbate through their representatives, signed the commitment to adopt and implement the management framework for the conservation, protection and restoration of the Visayan Sea during the 10th Visayan Sea Summit in Oton, Iloilo Friday, September 28.
Since 10 years ago, the provincial officials constantly meet to strictly enforce environmental laws and strengthen policies for the protection of the Visayan Sea with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Western Visayas taking the lead in the conservation effort.
The Visayan Sea, which is located in the central part of the Philippines, is recognized as an area with the most diverse shore fish species as well as the highest concentration of reef species in the world.
Under the covenant signed by the governors, it said that “stakeholders consulted agreed to a common vision in the Management Framework, as follows: Visayan Sea, a high level of biodiversity and resilient ecosystem managed sustainably, based on science, by progressive communities and a proactive government.”
It also said that “consulted stakeholders with the Science Advisory Group, likewise agreed to three priority goals in the Management Framework, namely: (1) restore fishery resources and rehabilitate habitats of the Visayan Sea; (2) sustain livelihoods, both fishery and non-fishery related, through enhanced capacities, and equitable access to available resources, and (3) establish an efficient and effective governance structure with improved fishery law compliance and enforcement that addresses socio-economic security and ecological integrity.”
Negros Occidental Provincial Environment Management Officer (PEMO) Wilfredo Ramon Peñalosa said the provinces will start to adopt a unified approach in implementing the management framework for the Visayan Sea.
“Visayan Sea is one of the country’s richest marine biodiversity. We need to manage it as a whole,” he said, adding the science-based approach will be simultaneously implemented by the provinces, meaning “we recognized the marine resources as one ecosystem and no boundaries.”
In lieu of their conservation effort, a Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of the five provinces, BFAR, schools, and non-government organizations, was tasked to help with the “technical aspect” of the program, as well as the unified enforcement protocol for illegal fishing in the waters surrounding the Visayan Sea.
Meanwhile, Peñalosa said the province of Capiz only joined the effort this year after they found out recently that the Visayan Sea also covers some parts of the said locality.
Award
Moreover, Marañon received a Pasalamat sa Katauhan Award during the summit.
It is an award given by the Office of the Ombudsman in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme that gives due recognition and appreciation to those deserving individuals who are doing excellent work to promote the compliance with environmental laws.
The Negros Occidental Task Force Lawod also received the same award, together with Peñalosa and Ma. Elena San Jose, also of PEMO, as the focal person of Negros Occidental for the Visayan Sea.
Marañon and Defensor also received Plaques of Recognition from BFAR and Visayan Sea TWG for their visionary and proactive leadership to restore and protect the abundance of the Visayan Sea.
The protection of the Visayan Sea was initiated by environmental lawyer Tony Oposa, Marañon and Defensor in 2010.