The government sees its tuna fishing rights in the High Seas Pocket 1 (HSP-1) continued on the back the of the Philippine’s improved compliance with international sustainable fishing laws.
Medyo okay naman yung compliance natin madami na tayo nacomply (We have been quite good in our compliance, we have complied to a lot of regulations). It’s up for negotiation (the rights). Hinahanda na namin (We’re preparing for it), said Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Assistant Director for Technical Services Drusila Esther E. Bayate in a phone interview last week.
Ms. Bayate added that they are optimistic of getting approval for continued access to the HSP-1 — an area of about 560,000 square miles located east of Indonesia and north of Palau — following a smooth review process undertaken by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on the Philippine fishing policies last year.
The WCPFC is a regional fisheries organization that oversees the management of high seas fisheries.
The BFAR official added that the Philippines has gone a long way in its vessel monitoring systems and traceability efforts for aquaculture products.
Republic Act No. 10654, which introduced amendments to the Fisheries Code of 1998, took effect on Feb. 27, 2015.
The law added a provision requiring the installation of a vessel monitoring system for all fishing vessels as part of government efforts to curb illegal and unregulated fishing in Philippine waters.
Also, based on the amended law, fish farmers have to implement the Code of Good Aquaculture Practice developed by BFAR to minimize the risks associated with aquaculture production.
The code requires that each stage in the supply chain — pre-production, production, and post-harvest — of aquaculture products is documented to serve as an information source on food safety and quality assurance.
The HSP-1, where tuna is abundant, was closed effective Jan. 1, 2010 to limit the catches of Bigeye and Yellowfin tuna with a target reduction of 30%, and prevent over-fishing.
Two years later, the WCPFC opened the HSP-1 to Philippine vessels compliant to set guidelines, and the access has since been extended until end-December this year.
The Philippines remains to be the only country allowed access to the tuna-rich fishing ground — a privilege subject for compliance to tuna conservation measures.
This sustained access stems from the Philippines’ commitment to preserving highly migratory fish stocks in accordance with provisions under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement and the WCPFC Convention.
Continued fishing in the HSP-1 would ensure supply for the country’s tuna manufacturers and exporters and cut fishing activities in Philippine waters where tuna species have been known to be abundant.
In 2015, tuna ranked fourth among the country’s top agricultural export commodities with a 5.7% contribution, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
During that year, however, tuna shipments fell by 34.3% to $293.34 million in value from $446.65 million the previous year.
2016 BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation