Bicam reconciles versions of the Fisheries Code

Representatives from the two houses of Congress have reconciled the conflicting provisions in the proposed amendments to the Philippine Fisheries Code.

Sen. Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said during the two-hour bicameral conference committee meeting held Tuesday at the Senate, primarily, they were able to resolve differences in the provisions on increased penalties on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF).

They were also able to settle the disposition of the Fisheries Management Fund, which will be sourced from the collection of fines and will be spent to provide livelihood and scholarship programs, among others, for fisher folks and their family.

Villar also expressed optimism the measure will be passed by Congress and signed into law before the year ends.

"We want to remove the yellow tag being imposed on our fish exports that is why we are amending the law to have a deterrent on IUUF," Villar said.

The new version was also improved to allay the fears of domestic fishing operators that the bill, once enacted into law, will be detrimental to their operations.

"In drafting this bill, we have been very careful to honor international commitments and at the same time take care of our own fisherfolks," she added.

Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 was amended to put in place a measure that will conserve, protect and enable sustained management of the country's fishery and aquatic resources.

During the meeting, Villar was joined by other conferees namely Sen. Vicente Sotto III, Representatives Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu), Frederick Jalosjos (Zamboanga del Norte), Pryde Henry Teves (Negros Oriental), and Xavier Jesus Romualdo (Camiguin).

Villar said "Senate Bill 2414 aims to level the fishing legislation at par with other countries, especially with regard to conservation measures regarding threatened aquatic species, straddling and highly migratory species, and other marine resources."

The amendments also seek to alleviate poverty and to provide supplementary livelihood among municipal fisherfolks; improve productivity of aquaculture within ecological limits; promote optional use of offshore and deep-sea resources; and upgrade the post-harvest technology.

Villar noted that the Philippines, being the sixth biggest fish producer in the world, has an aquaculture production of over US$1.58 billion. The fisheries sector also provides direct and indirect employment to over one million people, or about 12 percent of the agriculture sector of the labor force.