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SE Asia pushes sustainable fishing pact

DAVAO CITY — Member countries of the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA) are deliberating on a draft framework designed to ensure sustainable management of tuna spawning grounds in the Coral Triangle.

A statement yesterday of the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) said that the sub-ASEAN grouping, composed of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, is now finalizing the draft memorandum of agreement (MoA) crafted by the Philippine EAGA Working Group on Fisheries with the help of the German Technical Cooperation.

Among others, the proposed framework will form a forum that will facilitate discussion of issues on fisheries development as well as opportunities such as access to market, funding and technology; capacity-building of fishermen, and public-private partnerships.

Moreover, the MoA proposed that each county will designate specific areas within their respective territorial waters where fishers of member countries can be allowed to operate, subject to the laws of the host country.

Strategic seas

The World Wildlife Fund has said the Coral Triangle covers about 2.3 million square miles of sea bounded by six countries, namely: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

The area hosts up to 75% of all known coral species in the world, 50% of reefs, 40% of the coral reef fish species and six of the seven species of marine turtle.

EAGA members signed the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security at the World Ocean Conference in Manado last May.

“The time to get our acts together for the conservation and sustainable management of our marine biodiversity is of timely importance now, more than ever, because the future generations will largely benefit from this abundance,” the statement quoted MEDCo Chairman Virgilio L. Leyretana, Sr. as saying. — with a report from CQF

Source: www.bworldonline.com