THE regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar 11) targets to implement the commercial fishing ban in Davao Gulf in July.
The ban is contained a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) issued by the regional offices of the Department of Agriculture (DA 11) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG 11).
Bfar 11 regional director Fatma M. Idris, who guested in yesterday's edition of Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao, said the ban will be fully implemented once it has been published and circulated in different publications.
Once implemented in July, the ban will run until August.
But starting next year, the ban will run for three months, from June to August.
Covered by the ban are commercial fishing vessels that have 3.1 gross tons to more than 150-gross ton capacity, and the ring and bag nets fishing practice.
Only boats that have three-gross ton capacity and below will be allowed to fish using hook and lines.
Idris said the ban will allow time for fish to recover their numbers. She said this is the time when most of the species being fished in the gulf are spawning or pregnant.
"Those who will be caught violating the fishing ban will be fined P100,000. Offenders who keep on violating may have their licenses revoked," she said.
Idris said there will be three patrol vessels from Bfar that will patrol the fishing grounds.
Bfar also partnered with the Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Police, and Philippine Navy to patrol the gulf. The Davao Gulf Management Council will also be overseeing the implementation of the ban.
Since the implementation might still be in July, Idris said they are conducting information and education campaign in different fishing communities to inform them on the ban.
She also said they have contacted commercial fishing operators to submit the names of their fishermen who will be affected by the ban.
Idris said the list of names is important because Bfar will be providing 300 5.5 horsepower engines to affected fisherfolk.
"But they (fisherfolk) have to be registered online or their names have been submitted if they wish to acquire the engines," she said.
Idris said the fisherfolk may also seek the assistance of their city or municipal agriculturist if they want to be registered online.
She also pointed out that fishermen who will acquire the engine should have a boat as their counterpart. There will also be some 200 fishing gears (hook and line) that will be distributed.
Idris said the engines is already undergoing the procurement process and might be distributed to registered farmers this July.