Davao fish port eyed as trading center

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
THE Davao Fish Port Complex in Daliao, Toril is being eyed to become a center for fish landing and trading activities.
The proposal made by the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (CFARMC) was contained in a resolution which was passed on first reading during yesterday’s regular SP session.
The proposal was referred to the committee on agriculture and food headed by Councilor Marissa Salvador-Abella for deliberation.
The Davao Fish Port Complex is being managed by the Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA).
CFARMC’s proposal to make the Davao Fish Port the center for fish landing and trading activities was contained in a resolution and which was presented to the local lawmaking body.
This proposal, according to the CFARMC, is intended for the fisher folks of Davao City.
“The immediate establishment of the said fish trading center will surely provide great economic benefits to all stakeholders,” CFARMC said in its resolution.
The resolution further stated that the city government recognizes the role of CFARMC in assisting in the preparation of the City Fisheries Development Plan.
The resolution stated that it is stipulated in the Executive Order No. 36 series of 212 the Implementing Rules and Regulation (IRR) of the City Ordinance No. 093-08 the Comprehensive Fisheries Code of Davao City, that the CFARMC is mandated to assist City Agriculturist Office (CAO) in formulating the City Fishery Development Plan.
Under rule no.12 of the IRR, the necessity establishing fish trading center is to facilitate direct markets of the fish catch of fisher folks for wholesale and retail buyers at competitive and reasonable rates.
“The CFARMC is mandated to advise the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) through the committees on environment and natural resources, and agriculture and food on fishery matters in order to promote the proper management, conservation, protection and proper utilization of its fisheries and aquatic resources within city waters,” CFARMC stated in the resolution.
The plan will be implemented through conducting public consultations with the barangays, peoples’ organizations, fishery cooperatives and associations in order to determine the goals, objectives and programs for the development and management of aquatic resources.
The establishment of these facilities,, CFARMC explained, will require huge amount of capital investments on the part of the city for the procurement of cold storage, dryers and fish processing plants.
Councilor Leonardo Avila III, for his part, said centralizing the fish trading activities will expand access of thee fishermen to several buyers, reducing the transaction cost and improving their bargaining power.
Avila, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources, said that buyers will have a better access to fresh fish and seafood.
He said that to realize the proposal, the CAO and City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and other partners will have toundertake a feasibility study to determine the viability of operating the center.
The first district councilor said that they are looking some considerations such as increasing and decreasing population of fish catch; competition of imported and other fish products from outside region; return of investment, considering the many public markets and private supermarkets; and the gap between the existing facilities.
“Thus, I may call on the two offices mentioned (CAO and CPDO) to lead the conduct of a feasibility study of constructing and operating such center,” Avila said in his privilege speech.
He likewise called on the private sectors to provide the city data on the local performance of the fishing industry, as well as the views on the prospect of the sector in the coming years.
“May I call on this council to seriously consider this project as a priority in promoting inclusive growth,” Avila said, noting that the fisher folks are among the working population receiving the lowest income in the country.
He added that while the country continues to boost having the best tuna, it should extend more concrete efforts to appreciate the hard work of the fisher folks.