Manila to host int’l fisheries meeting

THE Bureau of Fisheries and - ishing preparations for the 14th regular session of the Western and - sion (WCPFC), to be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City from December 3 to 7.

About 700 delegates-- minis member-states, seven participating territories, and seven cooperating non-members in the Western and Central Pacific region-- are expected to attend. The Philippine delegation includes BFAR directors, technical personnel, and representatives from the country’s

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol and Undersecretary for Fisheries Eduardo Gongona are also set to attend the event, which shall follow a related intersessional meeting on a bridging measure for tropical tunas set for December 1.

“We are honored to have the 14th WCPFC meeting in Manila. - ippine government’s commitment to greater cooperation with our neighboring countries when it comes to conserving the high seas and other shared resources,” Gongona said.

The Philippines has been a member of the commission since its second regular session in Pohnpei, Micronesia, in December 2005. The most recent regular session was held in Denarau Island, Nadi, Fiji, in

Formally known as the Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and activities, particularly of tuna, in the high seas or waters that do not belong to any country.

In its annual sessions, the commission passes conservation and management measures, which members consider as binding rules. These are aimed at curbing illegal, unreported, and unregu - lar marine and bird species, and addressing various problems in