ZANORTE PFO JOINS IN THE 58TH FISHCON CELEBRATION

The 58th annual celebration of the Fish Conservation Week from September 13-17, 2021 with the
theme: “Pangisdaang Likas-Kaya, Bunga’y Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita”, was successfully
commemorated in the province of Zamboanga del Norte through the conduct of a series of activities
aimed to promote protection and conservation, as well as growth and development of the fisheries
sector. Through the cooperation of our dear fisherfolks, implementers, stakeholders, under the
leadership of DA-BFAR IX Regional Director Isidro M. Velayo, Jr., MDM, the week-long celebration
concluded fruitfully. Here are excerpts from the said activities:

September 13, 2021 (Day 1)

Opening Program of the 58th Fish Conservation Week, Hanging of Tarpaulin, and Turnover of Fish
Snack Food Cart at barangay Tamil, Jose Dalman, Zamboanga del Norte.

September 13, 2021 marked the first day of the week-long celebration of the 58th Fish
Conservation Week. Among the highlights of the day was the hanging of tarpaulin by the RFO, CFO
and PFOs, and Technology Outreach Stations and the virtual opening ceremony which was hosted
by the BFAR central office and attended nationwide. In addition, the DA-BFAR IX PFO-ZDN
spearheaded by Provincial Fishery Officer Arcelita A. Andaya also turned over one (1) unit fish
snack food cart to the Tamil Seaweed Planters Association at barangay Tamil, Sindangan,
Zamboanga del Norte. This livelihood intervention intend to provide our fisherfolks, especially the
wives of fishermen, which this association is mostly composed of, an opportunity to augment their
family income through value-adding of fishery products sold first-hand using the mobile food cart .
It is important to note that the fish snack food cart also comes with a complete array of value
adding utensils, including a gas stove and burner. With minimal effort and capitalization, the
beneficiaries can start their very own highly lucrative mobile food cart business.

Livelihood intervention is one of the most important program spearheaded by the bureau. Through
this manner, there is an ease in promoting new technologies especially in value-adding through
seminars and trainings. Livelihood intervention projects are also readily accepted by target
beneficiaries and easily monitored.

September 14, 2021 (Day 2)

Coastal Cleanup at Laoy, Olingan, Dipolog City and Dialogue with Bantayan Fisherfolk’s Association
at Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte
As part of the series of events scheduled to commemorate the annual celebration of the Fish
Conservation Week, the DA-BFAR-IX PFO-ZDN under the direct supervision of PFO Arcelita A.
Andaya organized and spearheaded the conduct of a joint coastal clean-up activity at beach front of
Sitio Laoy, barangay Olingan, Dipolog City. Such activity has become a perennial tradition and is
consistently attended by representatives from key institutions, i.e. the LGU-Dipolog, PNP Maritime,
Philippine Coast Guard, MFARMCs, community members, and other fisheries stakeholders and
program implementers.

Coastal clean-up is a symbolic and practical activity. In a way, it represents and signifies one of the
mandates of the bureau that is to conserve and protect. The same conservation and protection that
entails leadership, cooperation, and setting of example for the community to follow suit; and
regularity that it becomes a tradition and inculcated in the collective memory of the community.
The activity encourages participation at the grassroots level in order for communities to take full
responsibility and control in maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of their surroundings.

The activity was conducted fairly successfully, evidenced by the participants pledging their support
to the plans and programs of the bureau. A significant stretch of the Laoy beach is once again clean,
and the community bore witness that if there is cooperation, much can be achieved in a fairly
decent time.

Right after the coastal clean-up, PFO Andaya along with FRO I Ronnie C. Omandam immediately
headed to Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte to conduct turnover of one (1) unit fish snack food cart
to the Bantayan Fisherfolk Association, and enter a dialogue with the representatives from the
coastal barangays of Sindangan to tackle issues and concerns that has long been plaguing their
respective coastal communities.

The highlight of the dialogue was the discussion revolving around the implementation of the local
ban period which was put in place by the LGU to protect and conserve sardine which is one of
Sindangan’s high profile fishery product. The coastal communities on the other hand are
unanimous in their demand to seek exclusion from the ordinance that imposes the local sardine
ban. However, the DA-BFAR IX through PFO Andaya remains firm in its stance that the conservation
and protection must be of the utmost priority and fully supports the LGU’s direction regarding this
matter. But since the Municipal Fisheries Ordinance of Sindangan is still undergoing revisions, the
said issue at hand cannot be fully addressed with finality.

September 15, 2021 (Day 3)

Fisheries Investment Forum 2021

The conduct of the Fisheries Investment Forum last September 15, 2021 at the Mibang Hotel in
Dipolog City is one among the most anticipated events of the Fish Conservation Week celebration.
The forum provided the platform by which the different sectors from the fisheries industry; local
and national agencies that includes both the Local Government of Dipolog represented by the
Honorable Mayor Darel Dexter T. Uy, and the provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte
represented the Honorable Governor Roberto Y. Uy through his representative; program
implementers; financial institutions; fisherfolk stakeholders from the different fishery sectors i.e.
aquaculture, municipal, post-harvest, FARMCs, etc. In addition, the event provided the appropriate
forum by which the aforementioned participants can present issues as well as reiterate their
commitment of support; and by which the concerned agencies in attendance can immediately
present solutions or propositions.

In his message, DA-BFAR IX Regional Director Isidro M. Velayo, Jr., MDM reiterated the commitment
of the bureau to serve and fulfil its mandates amidst the present global pandemic, assuring the
totality of the fisheries industry sectors in the province that the bureau will not cease, nor rest and
curtail some of its services and be hampered by the present situation. Director Velayo also
emphasized the importance of protection, conservation, and sustainability moving forward; and
that every decision we collectively make that impacts our fishery resources, we must always take
into consideration the long-term effects of our actions.

The program also includes presentation from different agencies. These includes livelihood
opportunity topics ranging from value adding of fisheries products, agri-preneurship, as well as
product labeling, etc. up to business opportunities i.e. marine fish cage operation for milkfish and
urban aquaponics. Financial institutions also presented programs from their respective agencies
aimed specifically to cater to the fisheries industry sector; these include low interest rates loan as
well insurance policies among others.

The highlight of the fisheries investment forum was the forum proper which was personally
moderated by RD Velayo, and among the multitude of issues presented by the different sectors
present, the one that stood was the one presented by the fish cage operators. However, there was
an exclusive event tailor made for that specific issue scheduled the following day, but nonetheless,
Director Velayo pledged support, but reminded the fish cage operators that their cages, being
situated in municipal waters, are subject to municipal regulations. All in all, the fisheries investment
forum was an outstanding success given the time and situation that we are all presently in.

September 16, 2021 (Day 4)

Dialogue with Marine Fish Cage Operators at Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte and Sardine Deboning
and Scad Smoked Fish Making at PFO-ZDN
The dialogue with marine fish cage operators, and sardine deboning and scad smoked fish making
was simultaneously conducted last September 16, 2021 at the Community Fish Landing Center
(CFLC) at barangay Libay, Sibutad, Zamboanga del Norte and at the DA-BFAR IX Provincial
Fisheries Office, respectively. Sibutad was chosen as the venue for the dialogue with marine fish
cage operators due to its proximity to the actual fish cage farms in both Sibutad and Rizal, now the
new epicenter of mariculture development in the province.

The booming mariculture industry in Sibutad and Rizal is a boon to the local fisheries industry and
economy and is continuously attracting new investors from all walks of life, i.e. fishermen, OFWs,
capitalists, etc. However, the ever increasing number of fish cage operators in the area is starting to
raise alarms, and while the concerned LGU is doing its best to assuage the situation, the resulting
tension has become apparent, thus the bureau through the leadership of Director Isidro M. Velayo,
Jr., MDM scheduled and conducted a dialogue with the parties concerned, which included the fish
cage operators of Rizal and Sibutad, and representatives from the LGU of Sibutad.

RD Velayo personally moderated the exchanges in the dialogue. Through his effort, the root cause of
the uneasiness between the operators and the LGU was immediately determined, and while both
side are adamant with their stand on the matter, the Director offered that both parties must seek a
win-win solution. However, Director Velayo maintained that the well-being of our aquatic
resources must never be compromised. He added that the bureau will always be there to assist and
the LGU in whatever capacity as seen fit to resolve this predicament in a swift and effective manner.

Meanwhile at the PFO, the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council
Chairman (MFARMC) of Dapitan City Mr. Medardo B. Gonzales personally transported the four (4)
sardine deboning experts from barangay Sicayab, Dapitan City to the PFO office at Sta. Isabel,
Dipolog City. The four sardine deboning experts will not only train the women’s fisherfolk
association representatives from Sindangan, but also the BFAR-IX employees presently assisting
the said event. Deboned sardines is one of the promising value-added fishery product and the
province is one of the largest producer of sardines in the region, this combination allows for
massive investment opportunity in this product. However, to achieve this, the technical know-how
of deboning sardines and the processes involved afterwards must be effectively transferred
throughout the province. That is why, this training-of-trainers type activity is strategic given this
opportunity. In addition, BFAR-IX personnel present in the training also showcased smoked fish
making using BFAR’s very own smoke houses. Like sardine deboning, fish smoking is also a very
promising fish value adding technique. Not only does it add to the commercial value of the fish, but
it also significantly extends its shelf life.

Value adding of fishery products is key to increase the household income of the fisherfolks, and it is
one of the mandates of the bureau to assist our fisherfolks in acquiring the needed tools for this
venture through provision of materials, but most importantly, by also providing them with
sufficient training so that they will be able to enter into such venture knowing that they are
equipped to do its day to day operation, without further outside help and intervention.

After the training, the participants from Sindangan and Dapitan were given value adding tools,
smoke house, and fish stall. These were the same equipment used in the training. It is safe to say
that the participants have everything they need to produce on their own, at their own communities
where they can share what they have learned in the day’s training.

September 17, 2021 (Day 5)

FMA 9 SAG Meeting and Closing Program of the 58th Fish Conservation Week
September 17, 2021 marked the final day of the week-long celebration of the 58th Fish
Conservation Week, but prior to the program proper which was scheduled in the afternoon, a
virtual meeting for the Fisheries Management Area 9 (FMA-9) Science Advisory Group (SAG), or the
FMA-9 SAG. In attendance for the province of Zamboanga del Norte is DA-BFAR IX PFO-ZDN
Provincial Fishery Officer Arcelita A. Andaya, and representatives from the post-harvest and
aquaculture sectors: Mr. Medardo B. Gonzales and Mr. Miguel Lopez, respectively. The meeting
started with a video segment regarding the organization of the FMA, its constituent regions, and
provinces, etc. But most importantly, how it had evolved from the time of its inception. Another
highlight of the virtual meeting was the presentation of the FMA-9 SAG. Over sixty highly qualified
scientific personnel from different institutions comprised the SAG.

At around 2:00 PM, the closing ceremony of the 58th Fish Conservation Week commenced at the
DA-BFAR IX RFO Conference Hall. It was fully attended virtually by personnel from the PFO-ZDN
lead by PFO Andaya. The highlight of the event was the speech of Regional Director Isidro M.
Velayo, Jr., MDM as he recount each of the activities he personally attended during the week,
including how our concerted effort must be enhanced to cope up with the current situation brought
about by the pandemic. After key personnel have delivered their piece, one of the most awaited part
of the closing program finally started. It was the announcement of winners of the contests which
was highly participated throughout the province, after which was the presentation of value-added
fishery products, and the closing proper of the program.

The conduct of the 58th Fish Conservation Week was by and large, very successful. It may be
honestly concluded that collectively, the bureau has pitched through the hurdles and have fully
acclimated to this new normal and have performed fairly well given the extraordinary
circumstances.