To allow reef-fish-for-food (RFF) locally known as “suno” to reproduce and multiply during their spawning period, and to regulate its catching, the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) will implement the “closed season” or seasonal control of RFF starting the first week of November 2019 until the end of March 2020.
The implementation of the closed season was suspended two years ago.
The PCSD said that the suspension of the implementation of the closed season started in December 2017, due to the request of the traders and catchers that socio-economic study first should be conducted.
In response to the request of the affected stakeholders, the PCSD commissioned the Western Philippines University (WPU) to conduct a socio-economic study. Recently, the studies showed that the closed season for RFF that allowed them to multiply has no negative economic impacts to the fishermen.
“Kamakailan lamang ay lumabas ang resulta na nagpapakitang hindi nalalayo ang kinikita ng isang mangingisda tuwing open season kompara sa close season,” the PCSD said in a statement.
The closed season of the catching of RFF from November 2019 until March 2020, will allow these fish species to reproduce in their breeding grounds without any disturbance.