Still no fishing in high seas pocket

Due to the closure on fish aggregating devices (FADs), there are still no Philippine fishing vessels in a tuna-rich pocket of the Pacific Ocean, an Agriculture official said yesterday. “There are still no fishing vessels in the High Seas Pocket Number 1 (HSP1) as those vessels that use FADs or payao are still banned. All of our 36 vessels are using payao,” Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Assistant Director for Administrative Services Benjamin F. S. Tabios, Jr. said in a phone interview.