ILOILO CITY (PIA) — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel assigned to man a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) patrol vessel recently underwent a refresher course on fisheries laws and regulations.
This initiative aims to enhance the knowledge and operational readiness of the personnel in enforcing fisheries-related policies in Western Visayas and establish a strong collaboration in the campaign against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF).
“Through this activity, we aim not only to update you on existing laws and regulations in the region, but also to build stronger collaboration between agencies in addressing the challenge of IUUF,” Erwin Ilaya, chief of the Fisheries Regulatory, Monitoring, and Enforcement Division (FMRED) emphasized.
Topics covered include Introduction to Fisheries Management Areas, IUUF Fishing Threats in Western Visayas, and Introduction to Fishery Law Enforcement presented by BFAR Western Visayas FMRED personnel, including Glenn D. Nonifara, Planning and Report Officer; Byron C. Batay, Enforcement and Regional Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Operations Center (ERMCSOC) Operation Report Officer; and Armel C. Cipriano, ERMCSOC Executive Officer, respectively.
Captain Jomark U. Angue, commanding officer of the patrol vessel MCS 3009, thanked BFAR for the initiative.
BFAR, an agency under the Department of Agriculture, owns a fleet of patrol vessels manned by PCG personnel, who are under the control of the Department of Transportation. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6 with reports from BFAR Western Visayas)
