Country’s food security at risk, say
TERRITORIAL DISPUTE WITH CHINA
THE Philippines’ territorial dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea has far more serious implications on its sovereign security now that Filipino fishermen, many of whom are from Pangasinan, are prevented from fishing in the area.
Food security of Filipinos are now threatened by the territorial dispute unless the government acts to improve aquaculture in order to fill the gap created by offshore fishermen as they are now being driven out by water canons by Chinese Coast Guard whenever they try to go back and catch fish in the Scarborough Shoal near Pangasinan.
Dr. Westly Rosario, chief the National Integrated Fisheries and Technology Development Center (NIFTDC), said aquaculture can fill the gap.
Rosario, recently appointed by President Aquino as chairman of the fisheries board of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) concurrent to his position as NIFTDC chief, however, said the country must produce its own milkfish fry first before it can even think of developing its aquaculture.
“What if Indonesia and Taiwan soon stop exporting fry to the Philippines? Then, our milkfish industry will collapse,” asked Rosario adding that based on records of the Bureau of Fisheries and Natural Resources (BFAR), the Philippines is importing from 840 million to one billion milkfish fry from Indonesia and Taiwan yearly.
He said the Philippines needs to produce its own milkfish fry so it will not be dependent on fry from other countries and at least sustain the milkfish industry since it is the country’s national fish and the dominant fish being sold in the market today.
The Philippines, he said, has various nursery stations across the country which can be optimized to produce fry needed by fish farmers.
He said the government should adopt policies that will encourage the private sector to invest in milkfish fry production with a promise of an excellent return on investment.
There is also a need to inculcate in today’s generation the positive values of aquaculture so that they will join the campaign to produce inland fisheries in a bid to add more protein food in the Filipino dining table, Rosario added.
At the same time, he encouraged the production of more shellfishes that have the potential to become export commodities of the country. (Leonardo Micua)
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