FMA 4 SELECTS INAUGURAL MANAGEMENT BOARD; USHERING A NEW ERA OF

FISHERIES GOVERNANCE

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office IX as the lead agency in the
establishment of Fisheries Management Area 4 conducted the 1st Convergence Meeting for
the selection of Fisheries Management Areas 4 (FMA) Management Board via Zoom
Conference on July 27, 2021, and was attended by the other member BFAR Regions - VI, VII
and BARMM.

The convergence meeting was also participated by the Management Board Sectoral
Representatives as well as the Chief Executive Officers from each region which were
selected months prior the conduct of this activity.

Regional Director Isidro M. Velayo, Jr., MDM graced the event with his opening remarks
where he mentioned the significance of building a fruitful collaboration among the local
government, non-government organizations, and the fisheries sectors -- commercial fishing
sector, aquaculture fishing sector , fish processors and traders, municipal fishing sector,
and the involvement of the indigenous peoples groups by safeguarding human and
ecological interests through proper management of marine resources. Director Velayo is
optimistic that the cooperation with other regions, most especially through the collective
efforts from the various sectoral groups that comprises the FMA 4 will ensure that the
balance between men and nature is fast becoming a reality.

“Converging and meeting together with a common purpose, we demonstrate our own
brand of Filipino resiliency when we look beyond the travails of COVID-19 and start the
road to recovery, beginning with our own sector,” RD Velayo. He added that, “The greatest
task before us, therefore, is to commence and initiate the creation and institutionalization
of the management mechanism for the FMA 4. Indeed, we gather as one body to usher in a
new era in our country’s way of managing its fisheries resources”.

Further, Dir. Macmod Mamalangcap of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian
Reform (MAFAR-BARMM) highlighted in his message the holistic approach in responding
to the matters concerning sustainable fisheries.
Moreover, Ms. Divina Ignacio, National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) Project Leader
discussed the FMA concept and its importance by showing statistical data on fisheries
resources and its socio-economic and environmental implications.

Thereafter, the selection of the FMA Management Board was conducted, resulting to the
declaration of the following FMA 4 inaugural leaders:

BFAR: Isidro M. Velayo, Jr., MDM (Region IX) as Chairperson

Local Chief Executive: Hon. Joel M. Ventura (Region IX) as Co-Chair
Municipal Fishing: Neil Montemar (Region VII)
Commercial Fishing: Noel G. Lucero (Region VI)
Aquaculture: Roberto Estoconing (Region VII)
Processors and Traders: Edgar B. Lim (Region IX)
Academe: Dr. Maria Rio A. Naguit (Region IX)
Indigenous People: Ramonito Moquerio (Region VI)
Non-Governmental Organizations: Jeofrey A. Gomisong (Region IX)
Department of Environment and Natural Resources: RED Crisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez