AN OFFICIAL from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said fisherfolk should shy away from traditional fishing and upgrade through modern facilities with the government’s intervention.
Undersecretary for fisheries and BFAR national director Commodore Eduardo Gongona said there is a need to upgrade the fishing industry and to encourage more players to go into fishing.
Gongona said the government is distributing fiber glass boats in different coastal areas in the country for the fishermen to use. On top of that, he said he is looking forward to the acquisition of postharvest facilities like freezers and fish stalls.
“We need these postharvest facilities to minimize fish waste. Example, you caught 100 fishes, about 40 of that get damaged (because of improper storage). Saving that, can generate employment and would also make the product more value-added,” said Gongona.
He said more than the fish catching activity, fisherfolk and their wives should be taught of and be guided of value-adding activities such as fish deboning which is already done in various coastal provinces.
“We have to produce our own food. Food security is a matter of national security. We will produce food. The government will see to it that all industries related to food production will do that. We have to fill in the gaps,” he said.
In order to further improve the industry, Gongona also said the younger generation should be made interested in studying agriculture and for the government to invest on fishing schools.
“Take courses related to fisheries and agriculture. For our fisheries here, learn and train. Learn the basics because that’s what we need to increase our production,” he said.
Gongona also mentioned that the average age for the fisher folks now is around 45 to 55 years old. If the younger generation is not lured yet to go into studying and going into fishing, then in 10 years’ time, there would be less fisher folks, he said. He added Manila and other large cities are already crowded and people from the provinces should invest more on developing the industries in their provinces more than resorting to work in large cities.
