Protest staged vs new fisheries policy

Fisherfolk from different provinces trooped to Manila on Wednesday to hold one of several expected “fish holidays” as part of protest actions against the decision of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to implement the amended Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998. More than a thousand fishermen trooped to the Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The protesters came from Navotas, Malabon and the provinces of Bicol region, Masbate, Quezon, Marinduque, Pangasinan, and Cavite. BFAR Director lawyer Asis Perez said in an interview that the agency expects to finalize the Implementing rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Fisheries Code or Republic Act 8550 as amended by RA 10654 next week.