The various forms of assistance provided by the Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to fisherfolk have increased marine production in the province.

Alette Gayatin, Senior Aquaculturist at the OPA, said in an interview Tuesday that the province has increased its fish production compared with last year's, owing to government interventions.

“Through the OPA, there are Lambaklad projects in the six coastal municipalities of Antique that have reported 57.53 metric tons of fish production as of October 2023,” she said. She enumerated the towns as Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Barbaza, Bugasong and Tibiao.

The Lambaklad project employs the "otoshi-ami" method using fishing gear and nets. Gayatin added that although she could not ascertain the amount of assistance the BFAR has extended to the fisherfolk, the fishing gear, boats, nets and other equipment have contributed greatly to the fish production. “Based on our available data, the fish production in Antique for the first quarter of 2023 is already 6,623.82 metric tons,” she said.

Gayatin said they are still waiting for reports from the municipalities so they can update the data on the total fish production for the year. Antique has a total of 18 towns -- 15 are coastal municipalities and three are inland or mountainside towns. “The fish consumption in Antique is 18-20 kilos per year per person,” Gayatin noted.

Source: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1215680

The Fisheries Development Authority of Malaysia (LKIM) has allocated USD 49 million (RM228.2 million) to repair and build new houses under the Special Housing Project for Fishermen (PKPN) nationwide from 2013 to September this year.

LKIM chairman Muhammad Faiz Fadzil said out of the total amount, USD 3.5 million(RM16.3 million ) was allocated for the construction of 257 new houses, and USD 45.54 million (RM211.9 million) was set aside to repair 20 086 existing houses. “So far, we have received over 500 applications for the construction of new houses, which we are still processing. Next year, we plan to repair 348 more houses and build 48 new ones. “The selection criteria include fishermen having their own land in addition to being active in associations and fishing activities,” he told reporters after officiating an engagement session with fishermen’s associations (PNK) in Kelantan here today.

At the programme, a total of 200 members of PNK in Semerak, Bachok, Kota Baru and Tumpat who were affected by the floods received food baskets involving an allocation of USD 4297.8 (RM20 000). Earlier, Muhammad Faiz visited the National Fishermen’s Association’s (Nekmat) ice factory located at the LKIM Tok Bali Fishing Port. The facility, which is built at a cost of around RM10 million, is Nekmat’s initiative to ensure a sufficient supply of ice blocks for fishermen in the Pasir Puteh area, particularly in Tok Bali. The factory can produce up to 200 tonnes of ice blocks a day, benefiting about 400 deep-sea fishing boats and coastal fishermen.

Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/12/20/fisheries-development-authority-of-malaysia-rm2282m-allocated-to-build-repair-fishermens-houses-since-2013/108516

The government on Sunday, December 17, announced its decision to establish a new company to promote and market the fisheries products of the Maldives.

At the press conference, as a follow-up to the cabinet meeting, President's Office Spokesperson Mohamed Shaheeb said that the new company will be focused on promoting fisheries products and services, including aquaculture and mariculture. The company is tasked introducing new brand to sell fish as a premium commodity in international markets to boost fisheries industry revenue.

"The government has decided to establish the Fisheries and Ocean Resources Marketing and Promotion Corporation (FORMPC); as a 100 percent state-owned separate entity," Shaheeb said. The cabinet further agreed to allocate MVR 37 million in the 2024 State Budget towards the establishment of the new corporation. Previously, Fisheries Promotion Board was tasked with promoting Maldivian fisheries industry activities in the global market. The company's establishment is one of the key pledges made by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Source: https://edition.mv/news/30694