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Cataag Compound, San Joaquin St., Ormoc City, Leyte, Philippines 6541
Tels. 63-053-255-3516 & 63-053-560-6441; Email: [email protected]

Community-based Coastal Resource Management Project

PFI's Coastal Resource Management Program started in Biliran after a credit project among fishermen did not materialize as expected. The project was su[pported by the Philippine-Australian Community Assistance Program (PACAP).

In that project, we realized that small municipal fishers could no longer catch fish in their old fishing grounds because there was no longer anything much to fish. Marine life had depleted so much that they had to go out farther to the sea in order to earn their daily catch - and that was not always certain.

Thus, no matter how much capital was extended to the small fishers, that did not improve their status in life. There was simply no more fish to catch. So we started discussing the idea of restoring their fishing grounds through the establishment of a fish sanctuary where fishing would be strictly prohibited. The activity would only be allowed beyond a buffer zone.

The whole program would have to get the approval of the local policy makers and executives and endorsed to the provincial government. After the local ordinance was approved declaring a certain designated area as a fish sanctuary, the fisherfolks' organization took the initiative in its implementation and in guarding the sanctuary from outside poachers and illegal fishermen.

The area was in Brgy. Looc, Almeria town, Biliran province. That was our first community-based coastal resource management project.

A similar project was set up in the town of Culaba, also of Biliran province, two years later.

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