THE Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Mafar-Barmm) handed over a P3 million worth Community Fish Landing Center (CFLC) to the town of Mangudadatu in Maguindanao province.
The turnover of the project held Monday, September 20, was in line with the celebration of the 58th National Fish Conservation Week.
Engineer Nasirin Napii, Mangudadatu Municipal Planning and Development coordinator, received the CFLC, which aims to improve the socio-economic conditions of fishing communities with high poverty incidence.
“The MAFAR Fishery Sector committed to implement its priority thrust such as resource protection, enhancement and production, post-harvest and marketing support and development so that we could sustain our livelihood from ocean, seas and inland bodies of water in the region,” said Mafar Director Macmod Mamalangkap.
Initial support of 20,000 tilapia fingerlings, 54 gill nets, and 100 units of squid-jiggers, were also given by MAFAR to 74 fisherfolks from Maguindanao and Cotabato City who are members of cooperatives, and some members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (BIAF-MILF).
“Being the caretaker of Mafar, our commitment is always to help uplift and improve the lives of our million poor farmers and fisherfolks living scarcely in the coastal areas and Liguwasan Marsh,” said Mohammad Yacob, Mafar minister.
“Through the conservation of fish by avoiding the act of illegal fishing and selling of fish with eggs, the fisherfolk could eventually uplift their own lives as cycle of catch fish will be maintained and sustained,” Yacob added.
Mafar organized a series of activities for the week-long fish conservation celebration such as the coastal cleanup, Scuba Bangsamoro, coral nursery unit deployment, mangrove planting, fingerling dispersal, distribution of environmentally friendly fishing gears and poster-making contest.
This year's celebration, which carries the theme, “Pangisdaan Likas-kaya, Bunga’y Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita,” underlines the importance of sustainable fisheries management and development in bringing about abundance for the fisherfolk whose livelihood depends on the integrity of the ocean and its resources. (SunStar Zamboanga)