BAGUIO CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the region has launched its month-long celebration of the 55th Fish Conservation Month this September with the theme, “Kapag Karagatan ng Munisipal ay Inalagaan, Sasagana ang Yamang-Dagat.”
BFAR-Cordillera Regional Director Milagros Morales explained the celebration aims to encourage fishers, local government unit partners, and other stakeholders to take care of the municipal waters in order to protect and conserve aquatic resources and, in turn, take care of the whole fishing industry.
“We want to instill awareness not only among BFAR employees, not only among the different government agencies, not only among the fisherfolk but among all the stakeholders on the importance of their responsibility and most importantly their commitment and accountability towards the management of these resources,” she said.
During the launching program, Assistant Regional Director Lois June Fermin presented the BASIL or the Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa project wherein fingerlings or small young fish are being dispersed in the region’s inland waters to rehabilitate, restore and revive the physical conditions of inland water resources.
Mary Tauli, Aquaculturist II of BFAR-CAR, likewise briefed the participants on the OPLAN Sagip Ludong Project while lawyer Samuel Gallardo of the Department of Trade and Industry lectured on the Price and Consumer Act.
Under Proclamation No. 176 (s.1963), the Fish Conservation Week is celebrated third week of October but President Rodrigo Duterte issued Proclamation No. 316 declaring September as the National Maritime and Archipelagic Nation Awareness Month (MANA Mo) which amends Proclamation No. 176 transferring the observance from the month of October to September to synchronize it with the International Coastal Clean-Up Day and the National Maritime Day.
BFAR-CAR’s Fisheries and Post-Harvest and Marketing Section OIC-Chief Precy Maramba informed that there will be a regional Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) exhibit from September 17-21 at the BFAR Regional Office.
Maramba said the event serves as a venue for fish processors and producers from the region to showcase and promote their various fishery products in order to empower and motivate the entrepreneurs/processors/producers to actively participate in the development of the fishery industry by responsibly utilizing the fishery resources for sustainable growth and development of the growing population.
Another activity is a fun run dubbed “Conservation ISDA Best” on September 21 to start at 6AM along BPI Compound to be participated by the BFAR-CAR Staff, Provincial Fishery Officers (PFOs), Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Department of Agriculture (DA) and Barangay Guisad Central. On the same day will be a cooking contest to be held at the BFAR-CAR Regional Office.
Other activities in the provinces include a Clean Up-Drive along the Apayao River,Capagingan Creek in Tuga,Tabuk City; Magat Dam in Ifugao; Paracelis in Mtn. Province, Calaba River in Bangued, Abra and Ambuklao Dam in Benguet.**By Maria Aprila Cruz
