DESPITE the havoc wreaked by Typhoon Frank on commercial and municipal fisheries in Region 6  (Western Visayas) and Romblon, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) remains confident  the local fisheries sector will post an 8-percent production growth for 2008.

BFAR Director Malcolm   Sarmiento disclosed that the aquaculture subsector will help plug the possible shortfall in the producton of commercial and municipal fisheries.

“Growth will be steady and it will be around 8 percent this year. We intend to recover from the aquaculture sector,” said Sarmiento in a telephone interview.

Sarmiento said he is optimistic the commercial fisheries sector will continue to contribute to the growth of the fisheries sector for the year after the Department of Agriculture, under which BFAR is attached, formed a task force to help commercial fishermen avail themselves of loans from the Agriculture Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (Acef).

The objective of the task force, he said, is to speed up the availment of Acef loans ranging from P10 million to P15 million per applicant.

“The task force was formed around June 27. The task force seeks to assist commercial fishermen to help complete their applications and work for the early approval of their loans,” said Sarmiento.

The BFAR chief disclosed that around 70 small- and medium-sized commercial fishing vessels were destroyed by Typhoon Frank, and most of them came from Region 6. One vessel, he said, costs anywhere from P5 million to P10 million.

“Usually, when there’s a storm, the fishing vessels from Western Visayas seek shelter in Romblon. Unfortunately, the typhoon hit Romblon directly, causing damages to the commercial fishing vessels,” said Sarmiento.

For January to March of this year, the total volume of fisheries production grew by only 4.10 percent. For the period, the crops subsector propelled farm growth instead of the fisheries sector, as has been the case in recent years.

Commercial fisheries posted a 6.06-percent production gain while aquaculture expanded by 6.68 percent. Municipal fisheries registered a 2.08-percent decline in output.

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BFAR confident of 8% growth for fisheries this year

DESPITE the havoc wreaked by Typhoon Frank on commercial and municipal fisheries in Region 6  (Western Visayas) and Romblon, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) remains confident  the local fisheries sector will post an 8-percent production growth for 2008.

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