The FishR in closer view By: Elsa S. Subong ILOILO CITY, Oct. 9(PIA) – Fisherfolk and “fishworkers” are common sights in coastal towns and cities in the Philippines, yet for so long they have not been fully identified. They are just like the poorest in the barangays and urban places in the country that used to have no face and name. Today, there is the National Household Targeting System to identify who and where the poor are, and soon the fisherfolk and the fishworkers will be known and located. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the region is set to launch the National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration (FishR) on October 22. The launching, according to BFAR-6 Director Drusila Esther Bayate will set in motion the fast-tracking of the FishR for them to complete the nationwide data base to aid planning, as provided for in the Fisheries Code of 1998. “With this we will be able to design appropriate programs to improve quality of lives of our fisherfolk and fishworkers,” Bayate said. The FishR briefer prepared by BFAR-6 states all those required to register include the “municipal fisherfolk,” the “fishworkers” and fishery operators based in the town or city. The “fisherfolk” are those people who either directly or indirectly fish or do activities related to fishing, like catching, taking care of, processing, selling or transporting fish and other marine products. Included also as “fisherfolk” are the workers in commercial fishing vessels, except those licensed or authorized patron, marine engineers, radio operators, and cooks on board. On the other hand, the fishworker is either a regular or not regular employee in commercial fishing and related industries wherein he earns, a salary, or in a profit-sharing or stratified sharing basis, including those who work in fishpens, fish cages, fish corrals/traps, fishponds, prawn farms, sea farms, salt beds, fish ports, fishing boats or trawlers, fish processing/fish packing plants, excluding those working as security guards, administrator or secretary. Meanwhile, a Fishery Operator is the owner who provides land, labor and capital, fishing gears and vessels so that fishing or any related industry can be done, but not necessarily and personally focusing on fishery. While the BFAR facilitates the implementation and installation of the system in place, and provides technical assistance as needed by the local government units which will directly implement, the concerned LGUs should provide space with desktop, printer and camera and see to it that the registration goes full swing. The BFAR said the registration is free, and all the fisherfolk/fishworker will do, is simply go to the designated registration area in the town or barangay, fill up the Fisherfolk Registration Form, with the help of the Agricultural Technician or the MAO, sign the document and have his picture taken. Dir. Bayate said that the cooperation of the LGUs and partner agencies is vital as this will enable the FishR attain its ultimate objective of having a reluiable data for designing programs for better management, regulation, conservation, and protection of fishery resources. For Benito, a 62-year old fishworker in a coastal town, north of Iloilo, the FishR will give him an identity and entitle him to whatever support the government has at stake for the fishery sector in Iloilo province.(JCM/ESS/PIA-Iloilo)
Posted on: Tue, 08 Oct 2013 08:14:21 +0000