Descriptive study of the fisheries registration and licensing system in selected municipalities of Panay Island, Philippines

This study was conducted to described the effectiveness of the system of registration and licensing of municipal fishers, fishing vessels, and fishing gears in three coastal municipalities of Panay Island and to identify problems and gaps of its implementation. The study sites include Brgy. Culasi, Roxas City, Capiz; Brgy. Polopina, Conception, Iloilo and Brgy. Pinamuk-an, New Washington, Aklan. Primary data were gathered through an interview schedule and key informant interview (KII) and further validated through focus group discussion (FGD). Data collection was done during the period September to December 2008 with 1,171 total number of respondents. With no uniform proceedure, process of registration and licensing system of the three study sites varies. Compliance rate for fisherfolk registration, fishing gear and fishing boat licensing is highest in Conception compared to New Washington and Roxas City. The case of the municipality of Conception has also demonstrated that one-stop-shop strategy of bringing the registration team to the people can increase fishers\u27 compliance. Some policy recommendations for the LGUs to improve its fisheries registration and licensing system include the following: determine the carrying capacity of the resource as basis for limiting entry, standardize the registration and licensing procedure, establish a fair basis for license fees, and provide funds for the establishment and maintenance of a databank of fishers and the status of their registration and licensing

Descriptive Study of the Fisheries Registration and Licensing System in Selected Municipalities of Panay Island, Philippines

his study was conducted to describe the effectiveness of the system of registration and licensing of municipal fishers, fishing vessels, and fishing gears in three coastal municipalities of Panay Island and to identify problems and gaps of its implementation. The study sites include Brgy. Culasi, Roxas City, Capiz; Brgy. Polopina, Concepcion, Iloilo and Brgy. Pinamuk-an, New Washington, Aklan. Primary data were gathered through an interview schedule and key informant interview (KII) and further validated through focus group discussions (FGD). Data collection was done during the period September to December 2008 with 1,171 total number of respondents.With no uniform proceedure, process of registration and licensing system of the three study sites varies. Compliance rate for fisherfolk registration, fishing gear and fishing boat licensing is highest in Concepcion compared to New Washington and Roxas City. The case of the municipality of Concepcion has also demonstrated that “one-stop-shop” strategy of bringing the registration team to the people can increase fishers’ compliance. Some policy recommendations for the LGUs to improve its fisheries registration and licensing system include the following: determine the carrying capacity of the resource as basis for limiting entry, standardize the registration and licensing procedure, establish a fair basis for license fees, and provide funds for the establishment and maintenance of a databank of fishers and the status of their registration and licensing.</jats:p

A unified fisheries ordinance for effective resource management in Southern Iloilo, Philippines

In a review of the components of the fisheries law enforcement of the Municipal Fisheries Ordinances (MFOs) of the Southern Iloilo Coastal Resource Management Council (SICRMC), the five member-municipalities bordering the northern part of Panay Gulf agreed to implement a uniform ordinance in order to promote integrated management, reduce conflict, and contribute to efficient fisheries law enforcement. These will eventually lead to an effective resource management of the contiguous zone they commonly share. Seven issues were identified in the study to be important and deemed to be best addressed through the implementation of a unified provision for these in the municipalities. The issues include closed season for the use of fine mesh net; penalties for common violations; fisheries licensing; municipal water boundary; use of hulbot-hulbot (Danish seine); use of superlight in municipal water; and deployment of payao. Content analysis of the respective MFOs of the municipalities was done to identify policy gaps, overlaps, and conflicting provisions. Specific policy recommendations were also presented to serve as basis for drafting the proposed unified provision that will eventually result in the revision of the ordinances. At present, there are efforts in soliciting the support of the SICRMC in the proposed amendments in the MFOs