Regional Director Dr. Hannibal M. Chavez, together with the Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM) Regional Core Team, installed the 119th VMS and ERS in the region at Tacloban City Fishport

TACLOBAN CITY – In a bid to track, monitor, and manage licensed Philippine-flagged commercial fishing vessels authorized by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to operate in commercial waters, the regional office of the Bureau in Eastern Visayas continues to install Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) and Electronic Reporting Systems (ERS) to licensed Commercial Fishing Vessels (CFVs) in the region in 2024.

BFAR 8 Regional Director Dr. Hannibal M. Chavez, together with the Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM) Regional Core Team, installed the 119th VMS and ERS in the region on Fishing Boat (FB) James Vincent at Tacloban City Fishport on March 22, 2024. To date, BFAR 8 aims to provide all 167 CFVs with valid licenses in the region with the said technological innovation in fisheries protection and management, each costing Php99,000.

Dr. Chavez provided a concise briefing on the advantages and regulations regarding the use of VMS to the CFV’s operator. Consequently, the operator shared some of the existing concerns that most commercial fishing operators have in the region. This includes the lack of ice plants and cold storage facilities in Tacloban, as well as the less competitive prices of tuna in the regional market, leading them to land their fish catch in other regions with better market prices and enhanced facilities. The BFAR 8 Regional Director then assured him that the Bureau is extending several proposals to various agencies and legislators for the feasible and immediate funding of these facilities in the region, especially in Tacloban, being the center of commerce in Eastern Visayas.

The implementation of the VMM is facilitated through the Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System (IMEMS) in the Philippines. These applications will be utilized for fisheries development, management, and regulatory services, thereby upgrading BFAR’s capability in executing the Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Program.