THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Davao Region will resume the three-month closed season in Davao Gulf starting June 1.
BFAR-Davao director Fatma Idris said the three-month closed season for the Davao Gulf have been pushed to make way for the tuna and other fish species to spawn.
Idris said the closed season for all fishing vessels aims to conserve marine resources, to secure the spawning period of the fishes in the gulf, and implement measures to address unregulated fishing.
The proposed closed season was approved and recommended by the members of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) in a conference in Davao City last February.
NFARMC is composed of representatives from small and large fishing sectors, the Academe, fisherfolk and concerned government agencies and serves as the recommendatory and advisory body to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
A joint administrative order by the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) mandated the implementation of the closed season in Davao Gulf from June 1 to August 31.
Idris said the bureau will provide food assistance through their livelihood assistance for registered fisherfolks who will be affected of the closed season.
"The registered fisherfolks will be prioritized for the programs and projects of the bureau. If they are interested, maari po silang dumulog sa city and municipal agricultural office natin," Idris said.
Idris added the bureau is also open to those who want to adapt its shellfish program which includes tahong (shellfishes) and oysters.
Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) executive director Ariel Cayanan also assured that the closed season would not affect the small fisherfolks.
Meanwhile, Idris said, there was a nine-percent increase in the fish production in 2015 despite the dry spell brought about by the El Niño, which started last March.
Davao Regional Agricultural and Fishery Council (RAFC) chairman Engineer Armando Angsinco also said he believe that the effect of the El Niño to fishery sector is only minimal. The biggest damage was on agriculture.
"For the fisheries, ang masasabi natin na merong epekto sa El Niño ay yung nangyari doon sa hito-an sa Mintal. Sabi nga ni Engineer Angsinco very minimal lang ang damage sa fisheries," Idris said.
Idris said not a single death on catfish was reported to their office.
She added that the production of the catfish is only affected because it could not hatch egg while hiding in the mud.
Although there is an El Niño damage report, but the most affected in terms of the fish production is the fresh water fishers due to the lack of water supply.
"Pero wala naman so far na report sa opisina namin na naging apektado yung ating fishery sector sa El Niño. Walang local governments nag-submit ng report sa amin," Idris said.
When asked about the reported fish-kill in Matina Aplaya, Idris said they have already conducted investigation on the matter and the result is negative.