LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA (PIA) — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Calabarzon has committed to employ sustainable fishery practice with an ecosystem-based approach under the Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency or FishCore Project.
Launched in 2023, the FishCore project is a seven-year foreign-assisted initiative funded by the World Bank.
It is being implemented in 11 provinces across the country, including the Calabarzon region, to address critical challenges in the fisheries sector and promote sustainable practices.
BFAR Calabarzon director Sammy Malvas emphasized the project’s role in maintaining the resiliency of coastal communities using an ecosystem-based approach.
“One of our goals is to promote or expand the ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. But if we talk about the preservation of the ocean, we should not only talk about the sea or river because everything that surrounds it has an effect on the quality of our lake, sea or river,” the director said during an interview with the Philippine Information Agency Calabarzon.
The program emphasized the interconnectedness of marine habitats and the need for collaborative conservation efforts.
Malvas explained that the methodology involves the rehabilitation of coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds that serve as critical breeding grounds for fish species.
FishCore likewise focuses on empowering coastal communities to address issues posed by overfishing through livelihood programs, capacity-building workshops, and the establishment of community-based fisheries management systems.
“Livelihood interventions (seek to) develop our beneficiaries into association, to cooperatives into enterprise… this is also one of the project’s goals,” Malvas explained.
The BFAR believes that the initiative is critical in equipping coastal areas with the tools and strategies to adapt to climate change impacts to ensure that their livelihoods remain sustainable while protecting ecosystems.
The bureau is in close coordination with local government units in Cavite and Batangas, where the project is primarily assigned to further strengthen the implementation of sustainable fisheries programs and ensure alignment with local development plans. (AM, CH/PIA-4A)
Sulong Calabarzon is a weekly public affairs program hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Calabarzon, streaming live every Thursday, 2:00 PM via the Philippine Information Agency Calabarzon Facebook page.
