Philippines – Fish For A Day, Plus Fish For A Lifetime!
From Noel Ocampo Reyes, spokesman for the Department of
Agriculture, DA, comes this 06 February 2020 news: “DA Chief Orders Streamlined
Efforts To Attain Sustainable, Inclusive ‘Blue Economy’.” He says:
Agriculture Secretary
William D Dar has directed three fishery agencies of the department – the Bureau
of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Fisheries Research and
Development Institute (NFRDI), and the Philippine Fisheries Development
Authority (PFDA) – to unify and synergize their efforts, plans and programs to
attain a sustainable and inclusive "blue economy."
What DA Chief William Dar/Manong Willie is actually saying
is this: “Get your acts together!” This is doubly important for the prolonged
prosperity of the population of families
dependent on aquatic resources as well as prolonged productivity of the population of fish. Yes, they go
together.
I worked as the managing editor of the ICLARM Newsletter in 1981; already at that time, the scientists
were saying that Laguna Lake was dying! Today I say it is dead – not only from the wastes coming from factories, resorts and
residences from surrounding towns but also the oversupply of fish feeds.
Aside from polluting the waters, people disobey the laws of
Mother Nature. Not only in aquaculture but also in inland and coastal
fisheries, our fish managers and fishers do not
observe the Law of Optimum Sustainable Yield, OSY:
When
they harvest fish, they always go for the maximum unsustainable yield! And then
years later they complain that the fish stocks are dwindling.
I blame the fishermen, managers of fish companies, and government
watchdogs for not practicing, not imposing conservation. Why do fishermen
insist on maximizing their catch when Mother Nature declares that that is a one-way ticket to perdition?!
OSY declares that you should allow the resource to replenish
itself before you exploit it again. If you continue to harvest too soon, to
harvest the young as well as the pregnant ones with eggs, the fish stock will
disappear fast!
So, Manong Willie is right on track; he knows what the
fisheries agencies should be doing to serve the people better:
In particular,
Secretary Dar ordered the crafting and implementation of a national fisheries
development program that harmonizes the strengths of the PFDA in fisheries
infrastructure, NFRDI in research for development on sustainable fisheries, and
BFAR in implementing innovative and programs that will particularly benefit
small aquaculture and coastal fishers through increased productivity and fish
catch, while protecting the country's aquaculture and marine resources.
There is the old Navajo proverb that states: “Give a man a
fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a
lifetime[1].” Pay
attention please: The phrase “how to fish” not only includes methods of
catching and/or raising fish but also observing
limits to growth.
The Blue Economy can only be if the Cultivation and Capture
of aquatic resources is accompanied by Conservation. The above image, from GenSan fish
port, shows big fish. Now:
If
the fishermen practice Conservation, they will have fish for a day, plus fish
for a lifetime!@517
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