EAGA MULLS JOINT FISHERY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

KOTA KINABALU (Malaysia), July 21 (Bernama) -- The Brunei
Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-the Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area
(BIMP-EAGA), is deliberating a draft framework for joint fisheries development
in support of policies that call for the sustainable management of tuna spawning
grounds in the Coral Triangle.

This follows rising concerns over global issues such as climate change and
its impact on biodiversity and marine resources.

A statement issued by the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo),
here Tuesday said that with the help of the German Technical Cooperation, an
initial draft memorandum of agreement (MOA) prepared by the Philippines
EAGA Working Group on Fisheries, is now being reviewed and finalised by the
member countries.

The proposed framework, in the form of the MOA, will establish the concept
of a fisheries consortium among fishing industry stakeholders in the BIMP-EAGA.

The proposed consortium is seen as a forum that facilitates discussion of
issues on fisheries development as well as opportunities such as access to
technology, market, funding, capacity building of fishermen as well as
public-private partnership.

Specifically, the MOA proposes that each county shall designate specific
areas within their respective territorial waters where consortium members
can be allowed to operate.

The MOA is expected to yield joint economic activities among BIMP-EAGA
fishing industries within the common fishing areas in the sub-region.

"More than ever now, it is time to get our act together for the
conservation and sustainable management of our marine biodiversity.

"This is because future generations will largely benefit from this
abundance," said Virgilio Leyretana, chairman of MEDCo.

Leyretana said that the Greater Sulu-Sulawesi corridor has been identified
as one of the development priorities in the BIMP-EAGA, with rich fishing
grounds and spawning areas for tuna to be found there.

The revitalisation of the BIMP-EAGA sub-regional cooperation has been a key
strategy to fast track socio-economic development in Mindanao and Palawan, as
the Philippines' focus areas.

MEDCo plays an integral role as the Philippine Coordinating Office (PCO).

Leyretana also said that the thrust on fisheries development supports the
ongoing Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) which stresses the importance of marine
and coastal resources as well as the people of the Coral Triangle.

The Coral Triangle is the world's largest biodiversity site spanning
Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines,Solomon Islands and
Timor-Leste.

A Philippines National CTI Coordinating Committee has been tasked to
implement programs and projects, building on the regional cooperative programs
that highlight sustainable management of natural resources and ecosystems.

This spawning area of tuna covers almost 1.6 billion acres and holds the
richest population of corals, fish, crustaceans, marine plants, sea turtles and
other marine species.
-- BERNAMA