The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will accredit three providers of satellite-based and radio frequency-based vessel monitoring systems (VMS), as part of government preparations to implement vessel monitoring measures (VMMs) starting next year.
“So far, three technology developers have expressed interest to get accreditation,” said Zaldy P. Perez, officer in charge of the BFAR’s Fisheries Information Management Center.
Perez made the statement after owners and operators of commercial fishing vessels ranted about the cost of installing vessel monitoring devices and the monthly subscription during a consultation meeting held in General Santos City last Friday.
Owners and operators of commercial fishing vessels have expressed fear that service providers will have a monopoly over the price of the transponder, and the monthly subscription rates to be charged for their service.
Under the proposed rules for VMMs, owners or operators of commercial fishing vessels can pick service providers accredited by the BFAR. So far, however, only three companies have expressed interest to seek accreditation.
In General Santos City alone, there are over 3,000 commercial fishing vessels, mostly tuna catchers, which land their catch at the city’s fish port.
During the forum, three companies presented a complete package of VMMs and VMS, which include transponders, platform and application, designed to track commercial fishing vessels.
The three firms are Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise Inc., SOG Philippines Inc. and Smart Telecommunications.
The Philippines is a signatory to the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean and is a party to various regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), such as the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and other Tuna RFMOs
As such, the Philippines is compelled to implement measures such as VMS in accordance with the Convention and resolutions of RFMOs.
Also, section 2 of Republic Act 10654 states that no commercial vessel will engage in a fishing activity without the VMMs.
VMMs, which may be telecom or radiofrequency based, apply to licensed Philippine-flagged fishing vessels and operating within and outside Philippine waters.