THE dwindling supply of fish in some parts of Negros Island’s major fishing ground is now up for rehabilitation.
Silliman University (SU), together with University of Rhode Islands and University of the Philippines (UP), are putting into action the ‘Fish Right’ program to promote the right fishing and improve the struggling fishing industry in the island as well as the country’s food security.
The over population, coastal degradation, destructive fishing practices and overfishing are some of the causes cited in the decline of fish production in the region, said SU former President Dr. Ben Malayang.
Malayang explained that fishing and fish are among the fundamental resources that backstops the economy in the province and the country in general.
Most of the people are dependent on protein from fish and many of the marginalized folks are also dependent on income from fishing and fishery trade, said Dr. Malayang.
The project is implemented to make sure that stakeholders will do their best in ensuring fish supplies are sustained and improved.
Through improved management of fisheries, mangroves, and other coastal resources, the program is seen to increase resilience and improve livelihood among households engaged in the fisheries within the Southern Negros areas. /PR