Rare Policy Digest DECEMBER 2020

Coastal governance in Fisheries Management Areas

FISHING COMMUNITIES and local government units are playing a bigger role in managing coastal resources with the implementation of Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs) nationwide. The Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), has identified 12 FMAs that cover bodies of water with shared ecological characteristics and fish stocks. Rare Philippines is supporting BFAR in FMA 4, which covers Sibuguey Bay and the southern part of the Sulu Sea, and FMA 8, which covers the fishing grounds of Gulf and Surigao Strait. Many of the partner communities in Rare’s flagship program Fish Forever are located around Sibuguey sanctuary Bay in Zamboanga Sibugay province, and guard Cedric Isidro Rosco the and in protects the century-old trees in the Municipality province. of Tudela, one of our Fish Under Fisheries Administrative Order Forever partners in the 263, FMAs shall follow the Ecosystem- in . © Rare/Oggie Ramos based Approach in Fisheries Management, which takes into account both the resources and the people that depend on them. Science-based strategies and As part of the collaboration, Tirona sponsored an online Kamustahan last participatory governance are applied, discussed behavior adoption and October 7 that brought together the replacing the previous practice of communications techniques with management body of FMA 8 including managing fisheries resources based on government fisheries personnel across the mayors, representatives from the academe, regional and political jurisdiction. country in a virtual workshop last May 1, and members of Fisheries and Aquatic Last January 22, Rare Philippines which was organized and livestreamed by Resources Management Councils. They senior director Lito Mancao signed a BFAR as part of Farmers and Fisherfolks identified priority actions such as the memorandum of agreement with BFAR Month. Rare and BFAR also developed crafting of an FMA plan, convening the Region 9 Director Isidro M. Velayo Jr. for a training module designed for blended Science Advisory Group, formalizing the sharing of expertise and resources in FMA and interactive learning, which explains members of the management board, and 4. A few weeks later, on February 7, Rare the importance of FMAs and how relevant presentation of the status of fishery stocks Philippines Vice President Rocky Sanchez sectors such as local government units and in FMA-8. Meanwhile, for FMA 4, a virtual Tirona signed a similar agreement with fishers can actively take part in effectively meeting was held with BFAR Region 9 and BFAR Region 8 Director Juan Albaladejo. managing their fishing grounds. The the production of information materials, Rare’s senior policy manager Dennis partnership covers the training of BFAR particularly a booklet on fish species and Calvan facilitated the new partnerships, staff and technical assistance to BFAR in fishing gear booklet, and how to resolve which include public awareness and the rollout of the module in 2021. limitations in internet connectivity when capacity building activities in coastal With many training activities put on online platforms are tapped during the fishing communities. hold due to the pandemic, Rare co- rollout of FMA training modules. Rare Philippines Policy Digest DECEMBER 2020

Municipal Fishing community When quarantine measures were in the village of imposed in March, the importance of Villahermosa in Cebu. Community Fish Landing Centers (CFLCs) fisheries in the © Rare/Oggie Ramos as a vital economic hub for fishery products time of Covid-19 became apparent in coastal communities. In an online forum last Oct. 9 organized ONE YEAR AFTER co-hosting the National by Rare together with the National Anti- Coastal Fisheries Summit, BFAR renewed Poverty Commission - Artisanal Fisherfolk its partnership with Rare Philippines Sectoral Council, BFAR, and PaNaGaT, and the League of Municipalities of the participants learned that the facilities have Philippines (LMP) at the Marriott Hotel in not been utilized fully especially during the Pasay City last March 10. More than 1,000 COVID-19 pandemic, as only about 50% of municipal mayors witnessed the signing the CFLCs are operational. Several LGUs of the Memorandum of Agreement among pointed out the need to conduct social BFAR Director Eduardo Gongona, LMP preparation for government personnel President Mayor Luis Singson, and Rare and fisher’s organizations, and the Philippines Vice President Rocky Sanchez establishment of clear partnerships with Tirona that aims to enhance fisheries BFAR in managing CFLCs. governance for the benefit of the country's allowance, training, and access to loans. 1.8 million small-scale fishers. It also grants security of tenure to the The Technical Working Group on sea wardens, most of whom work on a Preferential Rights for Municipal Fishers, voluntary basis. Case Study on which was created after the summit, For the Technical Working Group on Commercial Fishing in held an online forum last Sept. 10 on the Marine Protected Areas, priority plans Municipal Waters delineation of municipal waters for cities discussed at a meeting in January to and municipalities that have offshore strengthen the capacity of LGUs in managing TO UNDERSTAND WHY some local islands. After the forum, more than 100 fish sanctuaries inside municipal waters were governments are allowing commercial local government units signed a statement put on hold due to the pandemic. As part of fishing within the 10.1- to 15-kilometer endorsing the archipelagic principle that the celebration of the Month of the Oceans limit of their municipal waters, Rare marks the starting point for the delineation in May, however, they were able to conduct collaborated with Ateneo de Manila’s of the 15-kilometer municipal waters an online forum entitled The Importance of John J. Carroll Institute for Church for cities and municipalities from their Marine Protected Areas for Food Security in Social Issues in an assessment of farthest . Around 30 LGUs also issued the Time of COVID 19, which highlighted the the policy in four sites: Pandan in municipal resolutions supporting the experiences of LGUs in protecting fishery Antique, Coron in , Subic in principle. As a result, BFAR has issued a habitats to improve fish stocks, especially Zambales, and Zamboanga City. The memo supporting the archipelagic principle with increased encroachment due to the study showed that these LGUs allow in municipal water delineation for offshore pandemic. commercial fishing vessels to operate islands and started drafting the guidelines, Another commitment from the fisheries inside municipal waters to generate a win for municipal fishers under the summit was achieved last October 26 additional income through business amended Fisheries Code. with the signing of a Memorandum of permits, and to accommodate Meanwhile, the Technical Working Group Agreement between BFAR Director requests from their constituents. on Illegal, Unregulated, and Unreported Gongona and Pangingisda Natin Gawing However, weak implementation Fishing that was also an outcome of the Tama (PaNaGaT) Network coordinator of the law was observed along summit successfully pushed for the filing Dinna Umengan that will build the with conflicts in the use of marine of national legislation that would benefit capacity of fisheries technicians in resources. Municipal fishers who fish wardens that are guarding marine selected coastal communities. The project were displaced have reported a protected areas and municipal waters. The will be implemented by the Tambuyog decline in their fish catch and income. “Bantay Dagat Welfare and Incentives Act” Development Center and aims to support The study recommended stricter was filed at the Senate last November, field personnel so they can eventually law enforcement, assessment of the which mirrors a bill filed earlier at the become Municipal Fisheries Officers. Rare fishing grounds to determine the House of Representatives. The proposed Philippines is a member of PaNaGaT and extent of fisheries these can sustain, legislation aims to provide Bantay Dagat some of the partner communities in the and giving preferential access to personnel with insurance, PhilHealth province of Antique are pilot sites of the municipal fishers. coverage, hazard and subsistence project. Rare Philippines Policy Digest DECEMBER 2020

Adapting to Climate Change

IN LINE WITH THE SCIENTIFIC PRIORITIES identified for climate change during the National Coastal Fisheries Summit last year, Rare co-sponsored the Technical Conference on Coastal, Marine, and Oceans in collaboration with the Climate Change Commission (CCC) in November 2019. One of the conference outputs is the creation of a data platform that will take stock of current data, tools, and methodologies on climate change vulnerability assessments Technical conference participants discuss climate adaptation tools for coastal fishers in the fisheries sector. The University of the Philippines, DA-BFAR, and CCC are The Climate Change Technical Working Determined Contributions (NDC). The providing technical and financial support Group created after the fisheries summit paper has been adopted by DA-BFAR for the data platform, which will have an has also come up with a policy paper on and forwarded to the DA’s Systems-Wide open data policy in order to maximize climate change options for the fisheries Climate Change Office for inclusion in access to users. Conference participants sector, which was signed by civil society the sectoral contribution to the NAP also agreed to pursue other priorities members of the group. They are pushing and NDC. Rare is collaborating with DA- including the mainstreaming of climate for the inclusion of the fisheries sector in BFAR’s National Fisheries and Research change and disaster risk reduction and the climate change agenda of the Philippine Development Institute in drafting the management planning among various government, particularly the National scientific basis of the policy paper. sectors. Adaptation Plan (NAP) and Nationally

Climate change • At the 25th Conference of the • The Climate Change Commission co- Parties (COP25) to the United sponsored the online forum “The calendar Nations Framework Convention on Great Web: COVID-19, Climate Climate Change in December 2019, Change, and The Ocean” with • Rare presented the Fish Forever Rare submitted a position paper Rare’s Policy Manager Atty. program as an ecosystems-based from Civil Society Organizations Alexandra Gamboa as moderator adaptation (EbA strategy in the calling for an increase in last May 26. Resource speakers National Adaptation Convention representation and more technical, were scientists Doralyn Dalisay and organized by the CCC during the scientific, and financial assistance Jonel Saludes from the University Climate Change Consciousness for the fisheries sector due to its of San Agustin in Iloilo City, who Week in November 2019 vulnerability in developing countries talked about potential medicine like the Philippines. They also pushed for that can be derived from the the strengthening of financial country’s rich marine biodiversity. mechanisms under the Convention to Meanwhile, Dr. Mudjekeewis D. provide a balanced funding portfolio for Santos from DA-BFAR’s National climate change mitigation and Fisheries Research and Development adaptation efforts, as well as the Institute shared some insights about inclusion of behavior change strategies the impact of climate change on the to address the challenge of destructive ocean’s resources. human behaviors that lead to climate threats. Rare Philippines Policy Digest DECEMBER 2020

Financing for Coastal Fisheries

WITH MANY COASTAL GOVERNMENTS reeling from the Covid-19 crisis, Rare and the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) conducted a webinar last June focusing on the role of financing in helping local governments mobilize resources for their healthy emergency response and recovery efforts. The webinar presented two financing options targeted for LGUs – the Landbank HEAL lending program and the Development Bank of the Philippines’ Rehabilitation Support Program on Severe Events (RESPONSE). The online forum sought to increase understanding of the opportunities and enabling mechanisms LGUs on the processes and requirements for inter-LGU cooperation for sustainable for accessing these funds, and to gain financing for coastal fisheries awareness on how to access technical • Capacity Development — design and RISING TIDE assistance in availing of these financing implement modules based on the results Understanding the Fiscal Capacity of 75 Philippine Local Government Units opportunities. Ultimately, the webinar of the fiscal analysis of LGUs, with the for Sustainable Coastal Fisheries Financing highlighted the need to make access to goal of developing initial projects that financing more efficient so that available are eligible for financing resources can be optimized for rebuilding The Technical Working Group on coastal economies that are dependent on Sustainable Financing, one of the groups fisheries. formed after the fisheries summit, Rare also renewed its partnership with reconvened for their 2nd meeting last BLGF to continue working on the following: November 10. The report on the fiscal • Analysis of LGU Fiscal Capacity in analysis of 75 LGUs which aims to facilitate relation to coastal fisheries management understanding of the borrowing capacity — this will facilitate the identification of LGUs, their regulatory fee structure, of existing and potential mechanisms for and ability to manage loans was launched funding LGU projects on coastal fisheries during the meeting. Local development PREPARED BY SUPPORTED BY • Policy and Governance — develop funds and devolution transition plans recommendations that will help LGUs were also discussed as ways forward in manage their resources and identify accessing resources for coastal fisheries. „

Blue Financing ongoing projects that need to make a programs that can be funded purely Framework transition to sustainable financing models. from the public budget, and which ones The framework aims to align programs that have the potential to attract private RARE AND WORLD WILDLIFE FUND contribute to a more sustainable marine capital or will require a blended finance conducted a workshop in August and fisheries sector with globally accepted approach. The Technical Working 2020 as a familiarization exercise environmental and social governance Group from BFAR assigned to this task in developing the Blue Financing standards. This will become the basis for was reorganized in November and Framework with BFAR. Resource decisions from the Department of Finance is currently finalizing the framework persons provided examples of and other agencies regarding the issuance in partnership with other relevant guidelines based on internationally of financing instruments that would meet government agencies. recognized standards and identified the standards. This exercise will also allow priority projects for BFAR, including the government to identify elements of its