THE

 PHILIPPINE  NATIONAL  AQUASILVICULTURE  PROGRAM1    

Romeo  E.  Dieta,  Ph.D.  and  Florida  C.  Dieta,  M.Sc.  
National  Brackishwater  Fisheries  Technology  Center  
Bureau  of  Fisheries  and  Aquatic  Resources  
Department  of  Agriculture    
Quezon  City,  Philippines  
 
Abstract  
 
  The   Philippine   National   Aquasilviculture   Program   (PNAP)   is   a   banner   program  
of   the   Department   of   Agriculture   (DA)   being   implemented   by   the   Bureau   of   Fisheries  
and  Aquatic  Resources  (BFAR).  To  implement  the  PNAP,  a  Memorandum  of  Agreement  
was  executed  by  and  between  BFAR  and  the  Commission  on  Higher  Education  (CHED)  
on   December   16,   2011.   The   program   concept   is   primarily   mangrove   resource  
rehabilitation  and  livelihood  provision  to  help  address  climate  change,  food  security  and  
poverty   among   municipal/artisanal   coastal   fisherfolk.   To   achieve   its   goals   and  
objectives,   the   BFAR   identified   three   strategic   interventions,   such   as:   (1)   replanting   of  
destroyed   mangrove   resources;   (2)   establishment   of   community-­‐based   multi-­‐species  
hatcheries   (CBMSH),   and   (3)   provision   of   aquasilviculture   livelihood   projects   to  
fisherfolk-­‐beneficiaries   throughout   the   country.   As   envisioned,   the   BFAR   shall   provide  
support   funds   for   the   establishment,   operation   and   management   of   the   PNAP   while  
CHED   shall   provide   logistical   support   during   program   implementation.   The   program  
covers   at   least   71   State   Universities   and   Colleges   (SUCs)   and   61   provinces   throughout  
the   country.   Potential   areas   targeted   by   the   PNAP   are   abandoned,   undeveloped   and  
underutilized  (AUUs)  fishpond  lease  agreements  (FLAs)  and  Department  of  Environment  
and   Natural   Resources   (DENR)   identified   areas   (Key   Biodiversity   Areas,   reforestation  
areas   and   co-­‐management   agreement   areas)   from   BFAR   coastal   regions   1   to   13   and  
ARMM.   Participating   agencies   are   DA-­‐BFAR   Regional   Fisheries   Offices   (RFOs)   and  
Provincial   Fisheries   Offices   (PFOs),   CHED   (SUCs),   DENR   Provincial   Environment   and  
Natural  Resources  Offices  (PENRO)  and  Community  Environment  and  Natural  Resources  
Offices   (CENRO),   and   the   Local   Government   Units   (LGUs)   in   the   provinces   and  
municipalities.   Target   beneficiaries   for   the   aquasilviculture   livelihood   projects   are   at  
least  1,000  coastal  fisherfolk  and  for  the  community-­‐based  multi-­‐species  hatcheries  are  
64  SUCs  who  were  signatories  to  the  MOA.  For  mangrove  rehabilitation,  the  PNAP  will  
involve  the  coastal  fisherfolk  in  the  planting  of  100  million  propagules  for  the  next  3-­‐4  
years.  Funding  supports  from  BFAR  are  P6.00  per  surviving  propagule,  P1.2  million  each  
per   SUC   for   the   establishment   and   operation   of   CBMSH   and   P65,000   per  
aquasilviculture   project.   As   part   of   the   over-­‐all   management   strategy,   a   National  
Steering  Committee  (NSC)  was  formed  to  formulate  policy  guidelines  of  the  PNAP  while  
Regional  Steering  Committees  (RSCs)  were  created  to  oversee  policy  implementation  in  
the   regions.   Program   Management   Offices   (PMOs)   were   formed   to   implement   and  
supervise   program   implementation   in   the   provinces.   Community   Organizers   (COs)   were  
hired   in   each   province   to   assist   in   the   implementation   of   daily   activities.   The   PNAP  
implementing   guideline   was   approved   on   March   12,   2012   detailing   the   procedures   to  
follow  both  relating  to  the  technical  and  administrative  operations  of  the  program.  
 
___________________________  
1   A   country   paper   presented   during   the   SEAFDEC-­‐AQD   International   Workshop   on  
Resource   Enhancement   and   Sustainable   Aquaculture   Practices   in   Southeast   Asia,   5-­‐7  
March  2014,  Punta  Villa  Resort,  Iloilo  City,  Philippines.  
 
 
    
OVERVIEW  
 
The   Philippines   is   an   archipelago   of   more   than   7,100   islands   with   a  
marine   habitat   hosting   one   of   the   world’s   richest   aquatic   biodiversity   (BFAR  
Primer).  It  has  a  total  land  area  of  300,782  square  kilometers  representing  only  
one-­‐seventh  of  its  total  territorial  water  area  (including  the  Philippines  Exclusive  
Economic   Zone,   EEZ)   of   2.2   million   square   kilometers,   excluding   inland   aquatic  
resources   estimated   at   496,000   hectares   (Figure   1).   The   Philippine   coastline  
stretches  to  around  36,000  kilometers  (Philippine  Fisheries  Profile,  2011).  
 

 
 
  
The   Bureau   of   Fisheries   and   Aquatic   Resources   (BFAR)   of   the  
Department   of   Agriculture   (DA)   is   the   government   agency   mandated   to   ensure  
the   development,   management   and   conservation   of   the   country’s   fisheries   and  
aquatic   resources.   It   is   also   committed   to   contribute   in   achieving   food   security  
for  the  Filipino  people  and  improve  quality  of  life  of  fisherfolk  through  rational  
and   equitable   utilization   of   fisheries   and   aquatic   resources;   empower   fisheries  
stakeholders  enabling  them  to  adapt  to  changing  environmental  conditions  and  
global   trade   and   regional   fisheries   management   regimes;   and   improve  
productivity  of  fisheries  and  aquaculture  within  ecological  limits  (BFAR  Strategic  
Management   Plan,   2011).   Therefore,   one   of   the   strategies   to   realize   these  
missions   is   the   implementation   of   the   Philippine   National   Aquasilviculture  
Program  (PNAP),  a  fishery  livelihood  and  conservation  program.  The  PNAP  is  a  
banner  program  of  DA-­‐BFAR  jointly  undertaken  with  the  Commission  on  Higher  
Education   (CHED)   through   a   Memorandum   of   Agreement   (MOA)   signed   on  
December   16,   2012.   The   program   covers   the   15   coastal   regions   of   the   country.  
The   participating   agencies   include   the   BFAR,   with   its   Regional   and   Provincial  
Fishery   Offices;   CHED,   and   its   participating   State   Universities   and   Colleges  
(SUCs);   the   Department   of   Natural   Resources   (DENR),   with   its   Provincial  
Environment   and   Natural   Resources   Offices   (PENRO)   and   Community  
Environment  and  Natural  Resources  Offices  (CENRO);  and  the  Local  Government  
Units   (LGU).   The   fisherfolk   are   the   primary   beneficiaries   of   the   resource  
rehabilitation   and   protection   and   aquasilviculture   projects   while   the  
participating   SUCs   are   the   beneficiaries   of   the   community-­‐based   multi-­‐species  
hatcheries.    
 
THE  PROGRAM  
 
The  concept  of  PNAP  is  to  come  up  with  self-­‐sufficient  fisherfolk  families  
who   are   advocates   of   fisheries   resource   protection   through   mangrove   habitat  
rehabilitation,   promotion   of   aquasilviculture   and   establishment   of   community-­‐
based  multi-­‐species  hatcheries.  
 
The  PNAP  has  three  (3)  components,  namely:  (1)  resource  rehabilitation  
and   protection;   (2)   aquasilviculture   and   (3)   community-­‐based   multi-­‐species  
hatchery.  The  first  two  projects  are  being  implemented  under  the  guidance  of  the  
BFAR-­‐National   Brackishwater   Fisheries   Technology   Center   (NBFTC)   Pagbilao,  
Quezon   while   the   last   component   is   under   the   BFAR   Inland   Fisheries  
Aquaculture  Division  (IFAD).  
   
1.  Mangrove  resource  rehabilitation  and  protection  
 
Mangroves   are   valuable   sources   of   forest   products   and   aquatic  
resources.   Both   offshore   and   inshore   fisheries   depend   on   mangroves   as  
natural  habitats.  Melana  and  Courtney  (2000)  reported  that  parallel  with  the  
decline  in  the  mangrove  areas  of  the  Philippines  is  the  significant  reduction  of  
fishery   resources.   The   loss   of   mangrove   forests   in   the   Philippines   is   also  
correlated   with   decreasing   fisheries   production   in   municipal   waters   and   the  
depletion   of   larval   and   juvenile   stages   of   shrimps   and   milkfish   which   are   seed  
 sources   for   pond   aquaculture   (Camacho   and   Malig   1988   as   cited   in   ADB  
1990).  
 
In   1918,   Brown   and   Fischer   estimated   the   mangrove   forest   to   be   as  
much   as   400,000   –   500,000   ha.   However,   the   mangrove   areas   were  
indiscriminately   alienated   for   other   uses   such   as   conversion   to   fishponds  
during   the   1960s   and   1970s,   reclamation   for   residential   and   industrial  
development,   over-­‐harvesting   of   mangrove   trees   for   charcoal   or   fuel   wood  
and   urbanization.   In   1994-­‐1995,   mangrove   forest   was   estimated   at   120,000  
ha  (Primavera  and  Esteban,  2008).  Long  and  Giri  (2011)  conducted  the  latest  
study   on   the   aerial   extent   and   spatial   distribution   of   Philippines’   mangrove  
forest.  They  estimated  that  the  total  area  of  mangrove  forest  of  the  Philippines  
was  256,185  ha  circa  2000.      
 
The   rapid   decline   of   mangrove   forest   is   alarming   considering   the   ill  
effects  that  may  be  brought  about  by  climate  change  in  archipelagic  countries,  
like  the  Philippines,  with  little  mangrove  cover.  Thus,  restoration  of  mangrove  
forest   is   essential   to   mitigate   or   build   the   country’s   resiliency   to   climate  
change.  To  achieve  this,  BFAR  has  targeted  to  plant  100  M  mangrove  trees  in  
3-­‐4  years  to  bring  back  health  to  its  degraded  coastal  cover.  To  achieve  this,  
participating   fisherfolk   will   be   encouraged   to   collect,   plant   and   nurture  
mangrove   propagules.   As   an   incentive,   he   will   be   paid   P1.50   for   every  
propagule  collected,  P  2.00  for  every  propagule  planted  and  P  2.50  for  every  
fully-­‐grown  plant.  
 
2.  Aquasilviculture  
 
Aquasilviculture   is   a   multi-­‐purpose   production   system   that   allows  
production   of   fish   in   a   mangrove   reforestation   project.   It   is   a   mangrove-­‐
friendly   aquaculture   technique   of   producing   fish   in   a   watered   area   enclosed  
with   net   but   does   not   allow   cutting   of   any   mangrove   tree.   A   model   of  
aquasilviculture   is   showcased   at   the   BFAR-­‐NBFTC   Pagbilao,   Quezon.       The  
design  for  the  project  follows  a  70:30  ratio  of  mangrove  to  water  canal  area.  
This   system   provides   a   source   of   additional   income   and   at   the   same   time  
increases   fish   production   that   is   easily   adaptable   for   municipal/artisanal  
fisherfolk.   The   fisherfolk-­‐beneficiary   who   participated   in   the   resource  
rehabilitation  activity  shall  be  the  primary  beneficiary  of  the  aquasiviculture  
project.  
 
3.  Establishment  of  community-­‐based  multi-­‐species  hatchery  
 
The  community-­‐based  multi-­‐species  hatchery  (CBMH)  is  a  facility  for  
spawning   gravid   fish   or   crustacean,   such   as   blue   crab,   caught   in   the   wild   to  
save   its   offspring   that   might   otherwise   be   lost   due   to   misuse.   The   hatchery  
will   be   able   to   contribute   to   stock   enhancement   and   eventually   become   a  
source   of   fingerlings   and   seed   stock   for   aquasilviculture   and   other  
aquaculture  projects.  Moreover,  the  CBMH  will  serve  as  a  working  laboratory  
of  fisheries  students  of  the  participating  State  Universities  and  Colleges.  CBMH  
 may   be   land-­‐based   or   holding   cages   (“lying-­‐in”)   for   gravid,   ready   to   spawn  
crabs.  
 
STRATEGIES    
 
Implementing  Guidelines  
 
A   comprehensive   implementing   guideline   was   prepared   and   approved  
by   the   National   Steering   Committee   (NSC)   to   ensure   the   success   of   the  
implementation   of   the   PNAP.   It   defined   the   organizational   structure   and  
strategies  of  implementation  of  the  program.    
 
The   NSC   was   created   to   provide   over-­‐all   policy   directions   and  
guidelines.     The   convenors   of   the   NSC   are   the   DA   Secretary   and   CHED  
Chairperson;   Co-­‐chaired   by   the   BFAR   Director   and   CHED   Commissioner;   and  
members   composed   of   3   BFAR   Regional   Directors   and   3   SUC   Presidents  
representing   Luzon,   Visayas   and   Mindanao;   BFAR-­‐Assistant   Director;   DENR-­‐
Forest   Management   Bureau   (FMB)   Director   and   DENR-­‐Protected   Areas   and  
Wildlife   (PAWB)   Bureau   Director.   The   activities   of   the   NSC   are   being   managed  
and  coordinated  by  the  BFAR-­‐NBFTC-­‐based  National  Program  Secretariat.  
 
At  the  regional  level,  a  Regional  Steering  Committee  (RSC)  was  created  
to  supervise  policy  implementation  and  oversee  the  Program  Management  Office  
(PMO).   It   is   composed   of   the   BFAR   Regional   Director   and   SUC   Presidents.   The  
PMO   was   also   created   to   oversee   the   operations   and   implementation   of   the  
program  in  the  province.  The  BFAR  Provincial  Fisheries  Officer  (PFO)  heads  the  
PMO   as   over-­‐all   Project   Coordinator.   The   members   of   the   PMO   are   the  
authorized  representative  of  the  SUC  President  and  the  Provincial  Agriculturist.  
In  addition,  the  PMO  engaged  the  services  of  a  Community  Organizer  (CO)  who  
directly  implements  the  program  in  the  field.  
 
Capacity  Building  
   
BFAR   and   SUC   coordinators,   PFOs,   focal   persons,   COs   and   fisherfolk  
beneficiaries   were   given   technical   training   on   the   three   components   as   well   as  
constituency  building,  value  formation  and  leadership  development.  Training  of  
implementers  was  done  at  BFAR-­‐NBFTC  while  that  of  the  beneficiaries  was  done  
at   the   BFAR   Regional   Fisheries   Training   Centers   (RFTCs).   CBMH   training   was  
done  at  BFAR  Guiuan  Station.