BFAR to deploy ‘payaos’ in Sarangani Bay, Celebes Sea

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 12 is set to deploy fish aggregating devices (FAD) or “payaos” in tuna fishing grounds off Sarangani Bay and the Celebes Sea.

Glenn Padro, senior fishing regulations officer of BFAR-12, said Wednesday the initiative is part of the development of the newly-launched Tuna Conservation and Management Zones (TCMZ) in the area.

Padro said the move was aimed at enhancing access to fishing grounds of small-scale and tuna handline fishermen, which will mainly manage the FADs.

The agency turned over late last month at least 60 FADs, which cost PHP200,000 to PHP300,000 each, to members of the Alliance of Tuna Handliners based in this city and nearby Sarangani Province.

The group’s six chapters here and in the municipalities of Glan, Malapatan, Alabel, Kiamba and Maitum in Sarangani received 10 FADs each.

Padro said the establishment of the TCMZ’s in the country’s waters is a national priority project of the Department of Agriculture and BFAR. It aims to contribute in the attainment of fish food security as well as sustainable tuna production and livelihood.

The established TCMZ, which is part of the identified small tuna hotspots, is exclusive for handline fishing, he said.

“Our focus now is sustainable fishing that is why we are supporting handline fishing that only catches adult tuna and not the juvenile ones,” Padro said in a statement.

Diony Seromines, secretary of the Sarangani-General Santos Alliance of Tuna Handliners, said the establishment of the TCMZ and the provision of the FADs are a huge boost to their sector.

He lauded President Rodrigo R. Duterte, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Sarangani officials for looking after their welfare.

“We’ve long been hoping to have an exclusive fishing ground that we can easily access,” he said. (PNA)