Untitled - About the Philippines

Managing aquaculture and its impacts: a guidebook for local governments
Message
Aquaculture will continue to be the main source of food fish for the Philippines and
the main driver of growth for the agricultural sector. My vision for the aquaculture sector is
one that will provide more food, more employment, and more foreign exchange rather than
an aquaculture sector that results in habitat destruction, pollution, and farming-induced
calamities such as fish kills. There should be no compromise where the environment is
concerned.
Thus, I congratulate the PHILMINAQ project for conceiving this Guidebook entitled
“Managing aquaculture and its impacts: a guidebook for local governments” for I believe
that a stronger partnership between national agencies such as BFAR and local government
units will pave the way for a sustainably managed aquaculture sector. This Guidebook
signals the beginning of a partnership that is nurtured through information exchange and
clarification of jurisdiction.
To the readers of this Guidebook, I wish to reiterate BFAR’s commitment to work
with local governments through the transfer of environment-friendly technologies,
training and education for fishfarmers on various aspects of aquaculture management, and
identification of new products and markets. In the same way, I exhort the readers of this
Guidebook to fully utilize the strength of our national policies in order to prevent and
mitigate the environmental impacts of aquaculture.
MALCOLM I. SARMIENTO, Jr.
Director
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
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