The Policy and Advocacy Component Group (PA CWG) of the NCI-SRD conducted a field validation on the Abandoned, Undeveloped, and Underutilized Fishponds (AUUF) under the Fishpond Lease Agreement (FLA) in Sta. Cruz and Masinloc, Zambales on 01 to 03 December 2021.

The field validation aims to   obtain firsthand information   on the canceled and   abandoned   fishponds under   the Fishpond Lease     Agreement   (FLA) by meeting   with the program   implementers and   stakeholders at the ground.   The activity also aims to   document the status of   implementation of the   abandoned AUUF and note   the relevant issues and challenges.

In 2020, the PA CWG conducted a policy audit to surface the challenges and overlaps in the implementation of the DA-DENR-DILG JAO No. 01, series of 2008 (Defining/identifying the areas of cooperation and collaboration among the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the planning, management, and control of aquaculture development to mitigate impacts on the environment). As a result, an Inter-Agency Technical Working Group chaired by DA-BFAR and co-chaired by DENR was reactivated to address the issues affecting areas covered by FLAs which have been abandoned, underutilized and underdeveloped.

The field validation was participated by PA CWG members from DAR-PRS and DENR-BMB and the National Secretariat, in coordination with DA BFAR Region III, DENR CENRO Masinloc, DENR PAMO Masinloc, and the Provincial Fisheries Office of Zambales. ###