The SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industry, Inc., (SFFAII) participated in the Mindanao Consultation on Municipal Catch Documentation and Traceability System (MCDT) last October 8-9, 2018 at Greenleaf Hotel GenSan. The said event was organized by USAID Oceans and Rare Philippines, in partnership with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (PaNaGaT) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Philippines. The participants were composed of fisherfolk’s organizations, non-government organizations, local government units, national government agencies and traders from all over Mindanao.
Mindanao Consultation on MCDT aims to discuss and come up with workable step by step process in implementing a CDTS and standardised format that contain relevant information for LGUs; and agree on the ways forward leading to the issuance of a Joint Administrative Order between DA-BFAR and DILG on Catch Documentation and Traceability System for LGUs.
On the first day, Mr. Peter Cadapan, from BFAR, presented the draft DA-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular on MCDTS and the value of having a CDT system, as well as elicit comments and suggestions from the participants to refine the draft. On the other hand, Mr. Roquelito Mancao, from Rare Philippines, presented the proposed step by step process on CDTS. While Mr. David David, from WWF, presented the minimum data requirement that are commonly collected in catch monitoring.
During the second day, a workshop was conducted and the participants were divided into five (5) groups based on their sector. They discussed and presented their suggestions and recommendations to help strengthen the MCDT. SFFAII joined the NGO group and presented some recommendations for MCDT.
The MCDT is a mandate that is given to DA-BFAR, which provided for under Republic Act No. 10654 that amended the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.
