Manila, Hanoi to carry out old pact

THE PHILIPPINES and Vietnam have agreed to make good on an old agreement to work together on developing and promoting their fisheries industries amid lingering tensions in the South China Sea and both countries’ territorial waters.

According to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, Manila and Hanoi now intend to “effectively carry out” the Memorandum of Agreement on Fisheries Cooperation signed in 2009.

“We aim to bolster a united effort in aquaculture, fisheries, processing and marketing,” Alcala said. “(Such efforts include but is not limited to advanced technology transfer, training and capacity building, culinary or processing practices, post-harvest technologies and exchange of visits.”

The agriculture chief added that that two countries intend to set up a hotline to fight illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and to support humanitarian search and rescue operations at sea.

“The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines and the Directorate of Fisheries of Vietnam will work on specific details to report to their respective [ministries] so that the hotline can be permanently established by the end of 2015,” Alcala said.

The agreement was made during the recent First Meeting of the Joint Agriculture Working Group, which was co-chaired by Assistant Secretary Orlan Calayag and Agriculture and Rural Development Vice Minister Vu Van Tam.

Both Southeast Asian countries are embroiled in territorial disputes with China over the Paracel Islands (Vietnam) and Scarborough Shoal (Phillippines). Both countries also have counterclaims in the Spratly Islands.

Also during the meeting, both sides concurred on cooperating on integrated pest management and exchange information on post-harvest technologies and processing in high-value crops.

Alcala said both parties agreed that their respective plant protection experts shall meet and identify specific fruits and vegetables for export, and determine the phytosanitary requirements.