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Western Visayas winner vies for MMK national award

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ILOILO CITY (PIA) -- In recognition of the efforts of the local stakeholders to ensure the cleanliness and abundance of fisheries in their respective communities, the awarding of Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) 2022 winners highlighted the kickoff activity of the 60th National Fish Conservation (FishCon) Week 2023 here.

The local government unit (LGU) of Ajuy town in Iloilo was recently pronounced as first place in the MMK 2022 Awards of the Department of Agriculture- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) 6.

Being the regional MMK grand winner, the Ajuy LGU has also made it to the Top 3 MMK winners at the national level, and the awarding will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on September 22.

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Volunteers and local stakeholders from the Municipality of Ajuy conduct mangrove tree planting and coastal clean-up in Barangay Culasi of the said town, as one of its initiatives in fisheries conservation and environmental rehabilitation.
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The Ibajay town in Aklan garnered 2nd place at the regional level while the Municipality of Pontevedra in Negros Occidental was named 3rd place.


The conferment of MMK awards of the BFAR to a particular LGU is being assessed based on criteria such as (1) no occurrence of illegal fishing in the area,  (2) observance of off-fishing season,      (3) declaration of marine protected areas, (4) clean coastal waters without any garbage or industrial effluent flowing to the sea, and (5) effective mangrove protection and rehabilitation program.

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Notably, the BFAR will provide funding support for specific projects that will be proposed by the MMK winners relevant to fisheries and aquaculture development in their respective communities.

Likewise, some key partners of the BFAR 6 in fisheries conservation and industry development were also given recognition during the opening program of the weeklong FishCon celebration in Western Visayas.

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Reynilda Partida of Samahan ng Mangingisdang Matatag at Responsible sa Tarong (SMMART) was recognized as the Outstanding Woman in Fisheries; Panay Aqua Farmers Consumers Cooperative (PAFCC) and Sibunag Aquafarmers Fisherfolk Cooperative (SAFC) were awarded as partners in fisheries development; and the Iloilo Provincial Government- Provincial Engineer's Office, BFAR-USAID “Fish Right” Program, and the Federation Iloilo Volunteer Fire Brigade, Inc., were acknowledged as partners in conservation.

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Representative of the BFAR-USAID Fish Right Program receives the award as partner in fish conservation bestowed by the Bureau during the kickoff ceremony of the 60th National Fish Conservation (FishCon) Week.
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Iloilo Provincial Governor Arthur R. Defensor Jr. said that conservation is not only about restricting  fishing activities but having alternative  livelihood. 

“How can we let our seas rest? We need to have options for our livelihood and tourism is one of those,” Defensor added.

Defensor also emphasized that tourism can give a strong livelihood when partnered with the management of the Visayan Sea, citing the goal of the fishery products to be “Itsura palang, kapital na (The appearance [of products] must be the capital itself).

“We will work in the most practical terms with the DA and the DA-BFAR,” he added.

The awards, according to BFAR, bestowed to outstanding individuals and municipalities aim to highlight the significance of sustainably managing the fisheries and aquatic resources and promote stakeholder engagement for fisheries resource protection and conservation in the country. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6 with reports from DA-BFAR 6)

About the Author

April Grace Padilla

Information Officer II

Region 6

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