FMA-4

𝐅𝐌𝐀 𝟒 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝, 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐥𝐮 𝐒𝐞𝐚

A newly constituted multi-sectoral Management Board for Fisheries Management Area 4 (FMA 4) officially took its seat on March 17, 2026, following a selection process and inaugural meeting held at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources IX (BFAR IX) regional office in Zamboanga City and via videoconferencing.

The event brought together stakeholders from Regions IX, VI, Negros Island Region (NIR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to constitute the board that will govern the shared fishery resources of these interconnected waters, signaling a renewed commitment to collaborative and science-based governance of the country's vital fishery resources.

The FMA-wide Management Board Selection, facilitated by the FMA 4 Secretariat and Technical Working Group, saw candidates from each sector and region undergo a structured nomination and verification procedure designed to ensure transparency and democratic legitimacy. The newly constituted board includes equal representation from all four regions across the mandated sectors: representatives from Local Government Units (LGUs), aquaculture, commercial and municipal fishing sectors, processing and trade industries, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples Organizations and the academe. The new board will serve a three-year term from 2026 to 2028.

In his welcome remarks, BFAR IX Regional Director Al-zath K. Kunting, who chairs the FMA 4 Management Board, emphasized that the reconstitution of the body represents more than a mere administrative exercise. "We have moved away from fragmented, sectoral management and embraced a holistic approach - the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management," Kunting said, citing Fisheries Administrative Order 263, which established the 12 FMAs nationwide based on fish stock boundaries rather than political divisions. "This approach reminds us that the health of our fish stocks is inextricably linked to the health of our habitat, the harmony of our communities, and the collaboration of our governance."

The event marked the formal transition from the previous board term to the new leadership, ensuring continuity of ongoing management initiatives while allowing for fresh perspectives and renewed energy. Members of the outgoing board were acknowledged for their contributions during the previous term, which saw the implementation of various management measures and the strengthening of stakeholder engagement across the four regions.

In her closing message, Ms. Erlinda Maguate-Puy encapsulate the spirit of collective stewardship required for successful fisheries management, declaring that, "The vastness of the sea cannot be emptied by a single net. This wisdom reminds us of our interdependence. No single sector, no single region, no single net can deplete the sea alone—but likewise, no single sector, no single region, no single net can save it alone."

The FMA 4 Management Board is expected to hold its regular meetings throughout the year, with priority actions to be identified during the strategic planning sessions scheduled in the coming months. The board will work in close coordination with the national government through BFAR, as well as with local government units and law enforcement agencies, to implement management measures aligned with the objectives of FAO 263 and the broader fisheries reform agenda of the Department of Agriculture.

With the new board now constituted, stakeholders across the four regions expressed optimism that the collaborative framework established under the FMA system would yield tangible improvements in fishery resource conditions and the livelihoods of fishing communities in the years ahead.

The FMA system, established in 2019, represents a paradigm shift in Philippine fisheries governance, moving away from a purely regulatory approach toward a participatory, ecosystem-based framework that engages all stakeholders in the co-management of shared fishery resources.

Sharing from MSU-TCTO Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension

𝐁𝐅𝐀𝐑-𝐈𝐗 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐌𝐀-𝟒 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐏𝐞𝐧 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office IX through the office of the FMA-4 Secretariat successfully conducted the Regional Selection of Sectoral Representatives to the Fishery Management Area 4 (FMA-4) Management Board (MB) on 16 February 2026 at the BFAR-IX Conference Hall.

The activity brought together fisheries stakeholders from Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Isabela City, Basilan, representing various sectors such as municipal and commercial fishing, aquaculture, traders and market organizations, academe, indigenous peoples, and non-government organizations.

The selection process followed a transparent and democratic procedure, where nominees from each sector were given the opportunity to present themselves, followed by roll-call voting facilitated by the Secretariat. The process ensured that representatives were chosen by and from their respective sectors.

The activity forms a key component of the Fisheries Management Area (FMA) framework, which aims to manage fisheries based on ecological boundaries rather than political jurisdictions. Through this approach, BFAR ensures that policies and management measures are responsive to the actual conditions of marine ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

By selecting Sectoral Representatives from various fisheries-related sectors, the FMA-4 Management Board is able to incorporate diverse perspectives, local knowledge, and scientific insights into decision-making. This inclusive process helps ensure that fisheries management strategies address pressing challenges such as declining fish stocks, habitat degradation, climate change impacts, and livelihood sustainability.

At the end of the activity, the following Sectoral Representatives were selected to serve as Zamboanga Peninsula’s nominees in the FMA-wide Management Board selection process in March:

Municipal Fishing - Yasser Jamih Nayic, fisherfolk from Limpapa, Zamboanga City

Commercial Fishing – Engr. Julius V. Daniel, SOPHIL President

Aquaculture - April Joy Babac Vista, President of the Talaga Fisherfolk Women’s Association

NGO - Moncini Arquion Hinay, Co-Founder of Kids Who Farm

Traders and Market Organizations - Hadji Adam Omar, Aqua-Entrepreneur and Seaweed Processor

Academe – Dr. Oliver D. Tito, Dean of College of Fisheries and Marine Sciences, Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology

Indigenous Peoples - Mary May B. Julhari, former IPMR Representative from the City of Isabela, Basilan

The activity concluded with the formal proclamation of the newly selected Sectoral Representatives and closing remarks from the FMA-4 Focal. The meeting reaffirmed BFAR’s commitment to participatory, transparent, and science-based fisheries governance under the FMA framework.

𝐒𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐨 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐙𝐚𝐦𝐏𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐂𝐄𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐌𝐀-𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

In a move underscoring a national shift toward decentralized, collaborative environmental governance, municipal leaders from the different LGUs of Zamboanga Peninsula have elected Sibuco Mayor Joel M. Ventura as their representative to the FMA-Wide Selection of members to the FMA 4 Management Board. His election marks a critical step in implementing national policy (Fisheries Administrative Order 263, s. 2019), which mandates shared, science-based management between national authorities and local governments.

The selection, conducted virtually on February 10, 2026, and facilitated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Office IX (BFAR-IX), picks the local chief executive who will help lead the Fisheries Management Area 4 (FMA-4) Management Board (MB)for a three-year term beginning in 2026. FMA-4 encompasses the vital marine ecosystems and fishing grounds surrounding the Zamboanga Peninsula.

The selection process brought together mayors and representatives from coastal municipalities across Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga City, along with BFAR officials. The role requires balancing local community interests with the ecological sustainability of fisheries that are central to the peninsula’s economy and food security.

The regional selection precedes a wider, FMA-wide selection process scheduled for March 2026, where Mayor Ventura will formally assume as ZamPen’s official nominee for the position of MB Co-Chair. Observers note that the effectiveness of such co-management frameworks relies heavily on the active engagement and authority granted to local leaders, who directly represent the communities most affected by fisheries policies.

Congratulations to

DR. MARIA RIO ABDON-NAGUIT
FMA 4 Management Board and Scientific Advisory Group member

on becoming the new President of 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘇𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆

BFAR IX and FMA 4 share immense pride in this momentous achievement!