Participants during one of the practical sessions of the FAO-facilitated workshop on delineating the municipal waters of Zamboanga del Norte Province.

To uphold the rights of small-scale fisherfolk and promote resource stewardship of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems, it is important to establish the tenurial status of municipal waters.

In the Philippines, coastal municipal/city governments are given jurisdiction of waters of up to 15 km from their coastlines. Small-scale fisherfolk are given preferential rights to fish in municipal waters. The locality is also given the responsibility to protect fisheries resources from destructive commercial fishing as well as illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing.

FAO is glad to be working in cooperation with the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Office IX, and the Provincial Government of Zamboanga del Norte to complete the municipal water delineation of the province’s 18 coastal cities and municipalities. The process has been a challenging but rewarding exercise that has involved technical sessions with LGU municipal/city agriculturists, fisheries technicians, engineers, assessors on understanding territorial jurisdictions, as well as negotiation and dispute resolution with their local chief executives, councilors, and fisherfolk representatives.

Zamboanga del Norte has taken a great step in improving its political and economic governance over its fisheries resources through municipal water delineation. We hope all coastal localities in the Philippines follow their good example!