Surigao City to initiate registration of local fisherfolks

By Annette Villaces

SURIGAO CITY, Aug. 6 (PIA) -- The City Agriculture Office will initiate the registration of legitimate local fishermen in Surigao City and Surigao del Norte.

Asst. City Agriculturist Cielo Cotiangco said the mass registration is in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Field Unit 13 through the directive of city mayor Ernesto Matugas.

Mayor Matugas issued the directive to the office of the City Agriculture to address the problem of illegal fishing and fish shortage.

Under the directive, only local and registered fishermen will be allowed to fish out inside the seawater of Surigao City and Surigao del Norte to avoid importation and exportation of fish.

With this, the City Agriculture Office and BFAR urged all Surigaonon Fisherman to register and become a legitimate fisherfolks so that they can avail the projects and programs of the City Agriculture and BFAR. (SDR/CMO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)

Surigao City, BFAR to step up ECOFISH program

By Annette Villaces

SURIGAO CITY, July 30 (PIA) -- The Surigao City Agriculture Office and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) planned to strengthened the Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (ECOFISH) program.

During its meeting held recently at the CMO-Conference Room, City Mayor Ernesto Matugas said he issued a Memorandum Order for the suspension of permit for the hauling and banning the harvest of brown seaweeds locally known as “samo.”

Plans to be implemented in order to strengthen the ECOFISH program include the monitoring of illegal fishing, registration of local legitimate fisherman, and provide training for sustainable fishing.

The ECOFISH program is implemented by the Department of Agriculture through BFAR with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that aims to protect the coastal marine resources and improved livelihood through sustainable fishing. (SDR/City PIO/PIA-Surigao del Norte)