ILLEGAL fishers in Central Visayas may soon face tighter fishery law enforcement as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 partners with the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
The collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding signed by BFAR 7 Director Mario Ruinata and PAF Major General Ramil Oloroso, aims to strengthen maritime security and conservation.
Oloroso said the agreement represents a meaningful step in protecting the nation’s marine resources. PAF will provide dedicated aerial surveillance, boosting enforcement and ensuring active measures against illegal fishing.
The partnership addresses monitoring challenges across the region’s waters, including the Visayan Sea, Camotes Sea, Danajon Bank, and Bohol Sea, key fishing grounds facing illegal fishing pressures.
Ruinata stressed the need for combined manpower and Air Force-supported technology to combat decades-long violations.
According to BFAR 7, fish production has dropped from 170,000 to 61,000 metric tons over the past decade due to illegal activities, despite a growing population. (DPC)