Rappler Talk: What the world can learn from Philippine seas

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is one of the most marine biodiverse countries in the world, yet its fisheries sector faces a myriad of challenges, as a recent fisheries audit revealed.

The audit found that the country’s capture fisheries production decreased from 2.6 million metric tons in 2010 to 1.9 million metric tons in 2023, or a total loss of 591,136 metric tons of fish in over 13 years. That’s 45 million kilograms of fish being lost annually, impacting the livelihood of small fisherfolk all over the country, and the nutrition of Filipinos who rely on fish as a significant source of protein.

The good news is that there are glimmers of hope in communities in the Philippines, where local governments and communities work together to come up with solutions to address overfishing and post-harvest fish loss, among other challenges. (DOCUMENTARY: Mula dagat hanggang sikmura)

Rappler’s liveable cities editor Jee Geronimo sits down with international marine conservation group Oceana’s chief executive officer Jim Simon and Oceana Philippines vice president Von Hernandez to talk about the situation of the Philippines’ fisheries sector and lessons the world can learn from the country’s oceans.

Bookmark and watch this Rappler Talk episode on Saturday, February 14, at 6 pm. – Rappler.com