President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday bared government plans to address overfishing and boost the country’s fish population and aquaculture, one of them is the imposition of fishing ban and other restrictions in certain areas, particularly those intended for fish breeding and propagation.

“Kung minsan kailangan ‘wag uubusin yung isda para sa next season mayroon pa. Kaya yun yung tintingnan natin ngayon,” the President said in explaining the fishing ban.

“At may mga lugar na hindi dapat gawin palaisdaan dahil ito nga ay para sa breeding,” Marcos added saying “(p)ara dumami ang population ng mga isda. Kaya yun ang ating pinaplano,” he said.

The President said these measures are part of the government’s plan of securing the country’s fish stocks along with other initiatives for the agriculture sector to ensure food security.

During a media interview at the National Food Authority (NFA)-Region IX warehouse in Zamboanga City after he distributed confiscated smuggled rice to poor families in the province, Marcos said developing the Philippine agriculture not only means securing the supply of rice and corn but also involves improving the fishery and the livestock sectors.

“Kaya’t kasama sa ating development plan ang mga fisheries dahil nang bumaba ang dalawang bagay: bumababa ang ating nahuhuli, ng ating mga mangingisda dahil nasira na ‘yung mga kung saan pinalalaki ang mga isda,” Marcos told reporters.

The administration is also implementing programs to put up more cold storage facilities to prevent spoilage, the President said, noting up to 30 percent of the fish catch is degraded or damaged.

“Walang cold storage. Kaya nagtatayo tayo ng cold storage. Doon naman sa mga maliliit na bagsakan ay magbibigay tayo ng gawaan ng yelo, para ‘yung yelo na ‘yan, ‘yun ‘yung ilalagay nila sa bangka para pag may nahuli sila, ilalagay lang doon sa yelo at hindi masira ‘yung isda,” Marcos said.

“Tapos ang isusunod natin after that ay ‘yung processing na para doon lang sa isang lugar ang magiging processing. ‘Yun ang ating mga pinaplano para sa fisheries.” Presidential News Desk