The Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Officer in Charge Demosthenes Escoto blamed the high prices of petroleum products for the decline of fisheries production in the country.
“The Philippine Statistics Authority study that showed a decline in the fisheries production was caused by the high prices of oil products is true,” Escoto said.
Escoto added that fishermen were forced to limit their operations due to the unabated increase in fuel prices.
He said that BFAR is now coordinating with the Department of Energy (DoE) to provide subsidies for fishermen.
“We at BFAR have done initial talks with the Philippine National Oil Co. We are exploring the possibility of coming up with a direct sale of diesel for our fisherfolk. The PNOC actually told us to discuss this in detail with the DoE,” Escoto said.
He added that the DoE has already asked for data, including the fisheries associations that will be covered by the fuel subsidies.
“We have the Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association Inc. in Zamboanga and the Inter-Island Deep Sea Fishing Association here in Navotas. We will give them all the data and hopefully they can make an arrangement where our fisherfolk can buy fuel at discounted price. We are trying to pursue it,” Escoto noted.
BFAR is facilitating the transaction to help the fisheries sector.
“It’s an industry-to-industry arrangement. We are trying to bring the fishermen’s associations to the oil suppliers. We encourage an arrangement between our fishing associations and private suppliers of fuel products,” he said.