“Food security is a component of our national security,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar as he supports the statement of National Security Adviser and Director General Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, Jr. during the opening of the National Food Fisheries Summit on September 27, 2019 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.
Dar said the summit is an important venue to review the current fishery policies and programs, reinvent and strengthen the roadmap for the industry, and stir up the so-called “New Wave of the Blue Revolution” as the future source of sustainable food.
“The DA will ensure food security and will look at every opportunity to make farmers and fisherfolk prosperous,” Dar said.
He believes that the P200-billion fishery industry can double its value if the Department will implement the right plans, strategies, and mechanisms at the right time.
As such, Dar directed the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to work together with the National Security and other partners in the academe in creating a science-based solution to address every problem of the fisheries sector such as wide-ranging poverty, especially among small fisherfolk.
“Through this New Thinking, we want to harness the power of science and technology, research and development, and science-based solutions to address the challenges that plague the fishery sector,” Dar said.
He said the agency is moving forward to creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem for marine, fisheries, and aquaculture; and reminded the local government units to strengthen their park management systems by adopting smart technologies.
“Be reminded that per Fisheries Code, at least 15 percent of the total coastal area of each municipality is required to be identified and automatically designated as fish sanctuaries,” Dar said.
He stressed that the laws in fishery management must be implemented urgently, faithfully, and with firm resolve.
“Let’s be strong allies in the fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) to promote the sustainability of our fisheries,” Dar said.
Meanwhile, Esperon expressed his support with the current program of the new Secretary. He said the agriculture sector should always take a prime seat in the national security.
Dar said the summit is an opportunity to unify scientists and industry stakeholders to synthesize various resolutions that will ensure the full adoption of the “New Thinking” and its eight paradigms. He also stressed that now is the time to address the challenges of fishery modernization, while restructuring its development framework towards a more productive, inclusive, and sustainable Philippine fishery sector. ### (Kristel Merle, DA-AFID)
