ILOILO City – Tomorrow governors of Visayan Sea provinces are convening at Sheridan Boutique Resort in Oton, Iloilo.
They would again be finding ways to limit commercial fishing and stop destructive fishing practices in the Visayan Sea, said Iloilo provincial administrator Raul Banias.
The rich Visayan Sea is the common body of water shared by Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Cebu, and Masbate.
Biñas said the governors would also discuss updates on the “Management Framework for the Conservation, Protection and Restoration of the Visayan Sea.”
The framework was adopted during the governors’ 2017 meeting in Sicogon Island, Carles, Iloilo.
As of this writing, those who already confirmed their attendance to the meeting tomorrow were Iloilo’s Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr., Capiz’s Gov. Antonio del Rosario and Negros Occidental’s Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr.
Cebu’s Gov. Jun Davide Jr. would be sending a representative.
In a related development, Bañas noted a drop in prohibited Danish seine fishing in Iloilo’s waters after an amendment was introduced to Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 246-1.
Danish seine and modified Danish seine are active gears consisting of a conical net with a pair of wings, the ends of which are connected to a rope embedded with buri, plastic strips, sinkers or other similar materials to serve as scaring or herding device hauled through a mechanical winch or by manpower.
These gears have been proven to destroy marine habitats.
FAO No. 246-1 of the Department of Agriculture banned Danish seine fishing and its variants.
The Department recently introduced an update to FAO No. 246-1. Now, mere possession of Danish seine or modified Danish seine gears is considered prima facie evidence for violation.
But illegal fishers have found a way to avoid arrest; they use “spotters”, according to Banias.
These spotters monitor the Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force’s movements.
Through mobile phone text messages, they warn illegal fishers that the task force has an operation, said Banias.
“Illegal fishers maintain an intelligence network like we do,” he lamented, and this makes the task force’s work difficult.
These spotters are strategically positioned in the coastal municipalities of Estancia, Carles and Concepcion in northern Iloilo, said Banias, and some even pose as fishermen./PN
