C. Visayas fisherfolk's livelihood projects need P26.7-M funding

CEBU CITY – Central Visayas' fishers are seeking P26.7 million in funds to bankroll the Capture Fisheries Livelihood Project, a fishery official said Friday.

Julius Caesar Rugay, senior aquaculturist at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 (Central Visayas), said the four provinces in the region need such funding to sustain the livelihood of the fisherfolk and their families.

According to him, Cebu proposed an allocation of P13.5 million to finance the program in the province while Bohol needs P8.2 million.

Negros Oriental and Siquijor also proposed P3.2 million and P1.6 million, respectively.

He said the project would prioritize groups of fishers, such as fisherfolk associations or cooperatives registered in the Fisherfolk Registration System and the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA).

"We have proposed a budget for next year's implementation of the Capture Livelihood projects. The total fund of P26.7 million should redound to the benefit of the fisherfolk association or cooperative," he said.

The Capture Fisheries section is part of the fisheries production and support service division of BFAR, providing technical assistance and technologies related to fishing, not only for the municipal sector but also for the commercial fisheries sector, in accordance with current fishing laws.

Livelihood projects included in Capture Fisheries are those using payao (fish aggregating devices), lambaklad (fish traps), hook and line gears (pasol), trap gears (bungsod), net gears (pukot), motorized boats, non-motorized boats, and marine engines. (PNA)