Editorial: Guardians of the sea

CHEERS to the five governors who act as guardians of the sea as they continue their effort to protect and save 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, recently signed a 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.

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.

This is the very reason why the local officials of the provinces covered by the Visayan Sea are dead serious on its commitment to strictly enforce environmental laws and strengthen policies for its protection.

Negros Occidental Provincial Environment Management Officer (PEMO) Wilfredo Ramon Peñalosa said the provinces will now 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.”

Under the covenant, the three priority goals in the management framework are: restore fishery resources and rehabilitate habitats of the Visayan Sea; sustain livelihoods, both fishery and non-fishery related, through enhanced capacities, and equitable access to available resources; and establish an efficient and effective governance structure with improved fishery law compliance and enforcement that addresses socio-economic security and ecological integrity.

The guardians of the sea will, of course, need the help of the community.

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