The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) will soon have a new partner to help improve fisheries management in the Calamianes Island Group.
Last June 18, Nygiel Armada, Chief of Party of USAID’s Fish Right Program, presented during the PCSD council meeting held at Asturias Hotel the new project’s objectives and proposed strategies to address issues concerning fisheries and coastal habitats in Coron, Culion, Busuanga and Linapacan. The meeting was presided by PCSD Chair and Palawan Gov. Jose Ch. Alvarez, who was assisted by Dir. Nelson Devanadera, PCSDS Executive Director.
Fish Right is a five-year (2018-2023) nationwide project, with marine key biodiversity areas (MKBAs) in Calamianes, South Negros and Visayan Sea as priority sites. It aims to increase fish biomass in selected MKBAs by an average of 10 percent by project’s end, benefitting more than 2 million Filipinos as the project assists in placing 2.5 million hectares of marine waters under improved management.
Armada said he is looking forward to having PCSDS as a partner, knowing that the organization is so much committed to conserving Palawan’s natural resources. Dir. Devanadera said a PCSDS team would soon sit down with Fish Right to discuss possible joint activities.
The FishRight Program is a partnership between the Philippines and U.S. governments. It is being implemented by the University of Rhode Island-Coastal Resources Center in collaboration with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other Philippine partner organizations.