FishCORAL Project

https://www.ifad.org/en/web/latest/-/women-led-sea-patrols-in-the-philippines-are-protecting-livelihoods-and-the-ocean

Women-led sea patrols in the Philippines are protecting livelihoods and the ocean Coastal communities in the Philippines depend on the sea for sustenance, but these once thriving oceans are emptying due to climate change and harmful fishing practices. Local women are fighting back, protecting fisheries while using them sustainably.

𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐬

Seventy percent of the Philippines’ principal fishing grounds are now considered overfished. Local and foreign commercial fleets continue to unlawfully fish and poach high-value species in the country’s municipal waters posing persistent problems not only for the fisherfolk and the coastal communities but to the environment and economy as well.

The rampant illegal fishing activities were specifically true in Rapu-rapu Island, a coastal municipality of Albay Gulf in Albay Province, Bicol, situated in the Luzon part of the Philippines. There are two existing fish sanctuaries located in the municipality, however, no seaborne patrol operation was regularly being conducted thus unlawful fishing practices such as the use of dynamite were common in the area.

When the Fisheries, and Coastal Resources and Livelihood (FishCORAL) Project piloted its implementation in 2016, the island of Rapu-rapu is among the covered areas. Through the project, the fisheries law enforcement team (FLET) has been formed and reactivated. However, the journey of the FLET was not steady until 2019 under the leadership of Elwin Bulawan wherein fisheries law is strictly enforced through the collaborative efforts of the FLET members, the barangay local government officials, and the youth in the community to protect and conserve the fish sanctuaries. The limited financial support from the local government affects the logistic need of FLET operation but this does not stop the team from guarding coastal resources and marine sanctuaries against illegal fishing activities as they pitched in from their own pockets.

With the support of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the FishCORAL Project, watchtower infrastructure with a solar power system, floodlight, handheld radio, and sets of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA), patrol boat with a motor engine, and fish sanctuary buoy markers were provided to properly monitor the fish sanctuaries. Different capacity-building activities were also done resulting in a more successful number of apprehensions monthly.

Other activities conducted by the Rapu-rapu Island FLET are the coastal clean-up drive and information dissemination on the importance of fish sanctuary and the impacts of illegal fishing activities on the marine resources, particularly within the protected area. According to FLET leader Bulawan, the 16-member team currently intensifies their information drive to inform the communities as well as upgrade the skills and knowledge of the FLET to ensure illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) will be lessened and hopefully be fully eliminated in their municipality.

“Arog kaning may watchtower na, may (hand-held) radio, maski wara cellphone, makakakontak na samuya su mga wara signal na lugar. Ini ang dakulaon na pasalamat ko na tabang nin BFAR asin FishCORAL, dahil jan magiging magayon an samuyang operasyon. (Now that we have watchtower and hand-held radio, illegal fishing reports are being reported even in places with no signals. I am grateful for the help of BFAR and FishCORAL Project as they make our operations easier.),” Bulawan said.

In the assessment conducted by BFAR5 Dive Team last February 2022, the fish sanctuary is in good condition and has 60-70% more live coral cover with 15-20 types of corals compared to its last assessment in 2010 wherein no target species can be found in the sanctuary. BFAR 5 said that the drastic change and development in the status of the marine protected area is evident due to the enforcement efforts of the FLET and the communities.

After a two-year hiatus, the highly-awaited 2022 Hybrid National Food Fair (HNFF) is returning from 1-5 June 2022 at the Megatrade Halls 1-3, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City. Department of Trade and Industry's HNFF2022 is envisioned to be the biggest domestic trade event since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as it features the best food products from the country’s 16 regions!

And this is the exciting part - Motiong, Samar's products will also be on display. Let's support our fisherfolk, let's support local!

See you in Megamall!

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗔 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗/𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥.

Interested applicants may submit their application to:
BFAR BAC Secretariat's Office, 2nd Floor, Fisheries Building Complex, Bureau of Plant Industry Compound, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City

Or you may email it to [email protected]

International Women's Day 2022: Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow

The Cabadbaran Mangrove Ecopark for Livelihood, Environment, Aesthetic, and Disaster Resilience (CaME-LEAD) champions the global advocacy of environment protection and sustainable socio-economic transformation of the people in the coastal areas of Cabadbaran City.

CaME-LEAD champions environment protection, sustainable socioeconomic transformation The Cabadbaran Mangrove Ecopark for Livelihood, Environment, Aesthetic, and Disaster resilience are champions in perpetuating the global advocacy of environm...

International Women's Day 2022: Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow

Salve Hermina, fisherfolk in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, shares their efforts in promoting environmental protection and gender equality in achieving a sustainable tomorrow.

Mabuhay ka, Babae!

International Women’s Day 2022: Women as protectors of the environment This is a video of Salve Hermina, a fisherfolk in Libmanan, Camarines Sur, sharing the efforts of their organization in promoting environment protection and ...

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭
by: Marisol D. Tuso and Shayne Marie M. Araullo


More than 2000 fishers have started to save and access financing and social insurance through group savings and credit mobilization. A total of 59 groups in the Caraga Region were organized through the Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Livelihood (FishCORAL) Project which have helped marginalized fishers in providing equity for fishery inputs and future engagements, as well as withstand the financial shocks caused by the pandemic.

A total of Php23.1 million is the collated savings funds from the 59 savings and mobilization clubs. Php 13.5 million of the said total fund was accumulated from 2018 to 2020. To date, the available savings fund is Php 9.6 million. A total of 2,049 individuals are benefitting from these savings and mobilization clubs, wherein 68% of members are women.

During the pandemic, the number of active saving clubs has expanded from 41 to 59 groups. These groups have not only capacitated and taught men and women fisherfolk but also empowered the indigenous communities of the Mamanwa tribe in Jabonga of the upland communities to save as well.

These fisherfolk have learned to set aside savings weekly out from their daily fishing income or from whatever source of income they may have. They have learned that the equation of savings is income minus savings equals expenses.

Aside from access to financing, the saving and mobilization club is also seen as a camaraderie platform among its members, wherein they get support from each other during difficult times, e.g., when someone is sick and needs hospitalization or when a member or their loved one dies. A total of 628 fishers have accessed financing through the saving and mobilization clubs in 2021. Ninety-six fishers have availed social funds this year while 83 have benefited in the last three years.

The savings and mobilization clubs in the covered areas of the FishCORAL Project in the Caraga Region started in 2018 and are continuously expanding. Besides the training and provision of savings boxes, the Project is conducting regular monitoring to ensure that the PO members become more financially accountable.

The FishCORAL Project capacitated the fisherfolk groups to establish and manage their savings clubs. Coordination with partner local government units, BFAR, and other agencies is done to ensure that these savings groups will continue and expand to more areas in the region. More so, the BFAR will be including the savings mobilization in their regular projects through the RFOs to ensure the sustainability of the initiative even after the end of the implementation of the FishCORAL Project.

The principle of saving is highly replicable. With the right training, infused with self-realization and compliance to policies, and learning from the success story of savings mobilization in the Caraga Region, this can be adopted in any rural community.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KY9GGou03U