Mindanaotoday.com | BFAR-10 cranks up for FMA-9’s CARE Analysis
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – As science providers, the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) unraveled a five-day workshop on the Comprehensive Assessment of Risk to Ecosystems (CARE) analysis tool, attended by representatives of the Fisheries Management Area 9 (FMA-9) covered regions, concerned national government agencies, some local government units (LGU), and the academe, in Tieza Gardens of Malasag Eco-Tourism Village, on Sept. 5, 2022.
Leading the FMA-9 is the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-10 (BFAR-10), which anchored the workshop with experts from the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), namely Dr. Jose Ingles and marine scientist Jimely Flores.
Baffled by the attendance of participants from the academe, Teodoro Bacolod Jr., BFAR-10 Regional Director, was delighted with the participants present to help the NSAP attain its goal of data gathering and analysis of the affected top 30 species present in the FMA-9.
“Indeed, we need the participation of every entity concerned with the FMA-9. With this strong collaboration, we will clearly understand why our seas and our fish production ended up in this current situation, and how we could regain and sustain our fish production while balancing our environment and our fisherfolk’s economy,” remarked Bacolod.
In addition, the director emphasized the region’s tremendous need for a focused analysis of Panguil Bay’s past and current situation and the scientific proof of the drastic change in the aquamarine environment due to climate change.
Meanwhile, during the workshop proper, EDF consultant Dr. Jose Ingles explained the timeliness and importance of CARE as an analysis tool designed explicitly in association with the Framework for Integrated Stock and Habitat Evaluation (FISHE).
“FISHE is a stepwise process that provides guidance towards the formulation of an adaptive Fisheries Management Plan. It incorporates climate change impact into the process and also a cyclical process repeated during regular stock monitoring to improve methods and data to reduce uncertainty in results,” expounded Dr. Ingles.
Ingles’ partner, Jimely Flores, elaborated on the aim of the CARE analysis tool, which is towards a climate resilient, science-based, multi-species, multi-sectoral fisheries management.
“Anyone can use the CARE tool. This can be used for local knowledge and expertise, for regional IPCC models, species climate vulnerability assessments, and fishery archetype impact summaries,” revealed Flores.
Brief discussions on the effects of climate change on the fisheries of the Philippine seas in general and the latest data gathered on the status of Panguil Bay fisheries in particular were discussed thoroughly for the CARE analysis. (CLViajante | BFAR-10)
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