Full implementation of sardines management plan ordered in the Philippines

Agriculture Secretary William Dar has directed the full implementation of the country’s long-overdue National Sardines Management Plan (NSMP), citing declining sardines catch over the years. “We can no longer ignore the critical need to manage our sardine fisheries. This means that all 12 Fisheries Management Areas [FMAs] must abide by the National Sardines Management Plan I signed in May last year,” Dar said during the second FMA summit. Dar explained that the NSMP provides guidelines specifying reference points, harvest control rules, and other appropriate measures in line with the amended Fisheries Code. “Our Scientific Advisory Group must work on concrete and definite recommendations to protect our fish stocks. The circumstances that have led to a rapid decline in our fish populations over the past few years have not been resolved. We need a science-based plan to address this critical issue and we need it now,” Dar said. The country’s fisheries were delineated into 12 FMAs ...