18/03/2026
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๐๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ซ๐, ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ข๐๐ง๐๐-๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐
๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฎ ๐๐๐
A newly constituted multi-sectoral Management Board for Fisheries Management Area 4 (FMA 4) officially took its seat on March 17, 2026, following a selection process and inaugural meeting held at the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources IX (BFAR IX) regional office in Zamboanga City and via videoconferencing.
The event brought together stakeholders from Regions IX, VI, Negros Island Region (NIR), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to constitute the board that will govern the shared fishery resources of these interconnected waters, signaling a renewed commitment to collaborative and science-based governance of the country's vital fishery resources.
The FMA-wide Management Board Selection, facilitated by the FMA 4 Secretariat and Technical Working Group, saw candidates from each sector and region undergo a structured nomination and verification procedure designed to ensure transparency and democratic legitimacy. The newly constituted board includes equal representation from all four regions across the mandated sectors: representatives from Local Government Units (LGUs), aquaculture, commercial and municipal fishing sectors, processing and trade industries, non-governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples Organizations and the academe. The new board will serve a three-year term from 2026 to 2028.
In his welcome remarks, BFAR IX Regional Director Al-zath K. Kunting, who chairs the FMA 4 Management Board, emphasized that the reconstitution of the body represents more than a mere administrative exercise. "We have moved away from fragmented, sectoral management and embraced a holistic approach - the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management," Kunting said, citing Fisheries Administrative Order 263, which established the 12 FMAs nationwide based on fish stock boundaries rather than political divisions. "This approach reminds us that the health of our fish stocks is inextricably linked to the health of our habitat, the harmony of our communities, and the collaboration of our governance."
The event marked the formal transition from the previous board term to the new leadership, ensuring continuity of ongoing management initiatives while allowing for fresh perspectives and renewed energy. Members of the outgoing board were acknowledged for their contributions during the previous term, which saw the implementation of various management measures and the strengthening of stakeholder engagement across the four regions.
In her closing message, Ms. Erlinda Maguate-Puy encapsulate the spirit of collective stewardship required for successful fisheries management, declaring that, "The vastness of the sea cannot be emptied by a single net. This wisdom reminds us of our interdependence. No single sector, no single region, no single net can deplete the sea aloneโbut likewise, no single sector, no single region, no single net can save it alone."
The FMA 4 Management Board is expected to hold its regular meetings throughout the year, with priority actions to be identified during the strategic planning sessions scheduled in the coming months. The board will work in close coordination with the national government through BFAR, as well as with local government units and law enforcement agencies, to implement management measures aligned with the objectives of FAO 263 and the broader fisheries reform agenda of the Department of Agriculture.
With the new board now constituted, stakeholders across the four regions expressed optimism that the collaborative framework established under the FMA system would yield tangible improvements in fishery resource conditions and the livelihoods of fishing communities in the years ahead.
The FMA system, established in 2019, represents a paradigm shift in Philippine fisheries governance, moving away from a purely regulatory approach toward a participatory, ecosystem-based framework that engages all stakeholders in the co-management of shared fishery resources.
