BATANGAS CITY – The provincial government, in partnership with various environment groups, government agencies and agriculture and fisheries sector, is set to implement its 5th cycle of seasonal closure for fishing grounds in Balayan, Talin and Nasugbu Bays starting Nov. 27 until Dec. 18 this year.
Jenelyn A. Aguilera, chief of the Batangas public information office, told the Philippine News Agency on Friday that the cycle for the close season on fishing grounds is a continuing environmental conservation and protection of Batangas’ rich marine and coastal resources.
“Inumpisahan noong taong 2014 ang programa bilang inisyatiba sa fisheries management, kung saan pinapahusay ang coastal protection at pinapalakas ang fishery resilience (the program was launched in 2014 as a fisheries management initiative which calls for strengthenic coastal protection and fishery resilience),” Aguilera said.
Under the fisheries and aquatic management, a seasonal closure is a form of spatial control in certain fishing grounds to protect spawning fishes. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) imposes a two-month closed season that starts in November to December in certain fishing areas in the country.
The seasonal closure is provided for under the provision of the Fisheries Code of 1998, in order to rehabilitate the marine resources now being depleted due to overfishing.
Aguilera said the Provincial Government – Environment and Natural Resources Office (PG-ENRO), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Agriculture – BFAR spearheaded the discussions on the seasonal closure’s 5th cycle on Oct. 9 at the PG-ENRO conference hall here.
The lead agencies engaged in extensive discussions with agriculturists, environment and natural resources officers and Bantay Dagat (sea guardians) members from the province’s 11 coastal towns, as well as officials from the Philippine National Police – Batangas Police Provincial Office (PNP-BPPO), Philippine National Police Maritime Group (PNP-MG), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Airforce (PAF), Provincial Agriculturist, Provincial Tourism Culture and Arts Office and Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.
She said the 5th cycle closed season was agreed upon after assessing the results of the series of seasonal closures enforced by the provincial government, which pioneered the country’s inter-Local Government Unit (LGU) Seasonal Closure Initiative.
They also agreed to intensify information dissemination to various stakeholders and constituents in the “closed season” covered areas and broaden resolution network with partner agencies and non-government and people’s organizations in the 11 towns.
She said the results of the discussions prompted the provincial government to impose the 5th cycle closed season covering fishing grounds across the coastal towns of Balayan, Bauan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lemery, Lian, Mabini, Nasugbu, San Luis, Taal and Tingloy (Saul Pa-a/PNA)
