ZAMBOANGA CITY--The Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association, Inc. (SOPHIL) in cooperation with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Thursday launched an alternative livelihood program for marginal fisherfolk in Western Mindanao region.
The initiative is one of the highlights of the 2018 Farmer’s and Fisherfolks’ Month.
Under the program, SOPHIL will distribute for free fishing gears for “high-valued species” to marginal fisherfolk to help boost their income.
“We want the marginal fisherfolk to improve their lives,” Roberto Baylosis, SOPHIL executive vice president, said noting that they focused on fishing sardine, which is very cheap.
Among the high-value species they can catch are tuna, red grouper, Salay-salay Ginto (scad) and others, like cuttlefish.
Baylosis said they initially distributed 330 fishing gears to groups of marginal fisherfolk in the region.
Isidro Velayo Jr., BFAR regional director, said he is elated that SOPHIL is complementing the program of BFAR aimed to uplift the lives of the marginal fisherfolk in the region.
SOPHIL members are fishing firms that supplies fish to canning firms based in this city.
Velayo said they have already distributed fishing gears like squid jigger and tuna handline to the fisherfolk in the region.
“This (distribution of fishing gears) will augment to the ones we have already given to the fisherfolk,” Velayo said.
He said there are some 300,000 marginal fisherfolk in the region but they will give priority to those in the depressed.
He said among the places they will prioritize is the triple “SB” areas that covers the towns of Sibuco, Sirawai, Siocon, and Baliguian in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.
The distribution of the fishing gears for free is part of SOPHIL's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). (PNA)
