Awareness of Fisherfolk and Extent of Implementation of the Philippines Fisheries Code of 1998

Presented in

Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the degree of

Master of Public Administration

Cagayan State University

Tuguegarao City

by

Imelda T. Silvania
 Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Exploitation of the fisheries and aquatic resources is a prevalent problem worldwide. In

some countries which are surrounded by the bounties from the ocean, they are now experiencing
an abrupt decrease of fish stocks in their territorial waters which causes a decreasing production
of fish yearly. This, if not addressed or even just lessened, will cause a severe damage in
balancing the ecosystem and worst scarcity of food source will become more problematic.

This problem is already been embracing the world thus strong advocacies and movements
for the conservation, protection and proper management of the fisheries and aquatic resources are
being lifted. This is duly manifested by the implementation of several fishery laws (international
and local) and implementation of various programs, projects, and activities which aim to rescue
the threatened resources on fisheries sector.

One of the most popular movements to address the crisis in fisheries is headed by the
European Union (EU), ________________. This organization strengthens the implementation of
the Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) to resolve the over-exploitation of the
fishery resources. It should be noted that, besides climate change, a dominating unresolved
problem of the world is in this generation, human activities also cause the over-exploitation of
resources particularly in the fisheries sector. This refers now to the recurring problem on illegal
fishing activities which include blast fishing, electrofishing, _____________, _____________
etc.

With the recurring problem on illegal fishing, fisheries production decreased gradually
due to the destroyed coral reefs which serve to be the breeding ground of the fishes. This is even
worsened by the fact that coral reefs grow only at 1 cm per year (Endangered Species
International Organization, 2012). Without these nursery grounds, fishery production will suffer
more in the upcoming generations and an adverse impact shall be felt the people.

At present, other strategized methods to combat the diminishing resources in the fisheries
sector are the establishment of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries under the provisions of
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 1998. This EAFs purpose is to plan, develop and
manage fisheries in a manner that addresses the municipality of societal needs and desires,
without jeopardizing the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods
and services provided by marine ecosystems.

Hence, there are many reasons for this widespread problem, including among others: an
inherent conflict between short- term social and economic needs and goals and the longer-term
need for sustainability, poor management practices in the past, particularly the absence of long
term rights and failing to ensure that stakeholders participate in management, insufficient
capacity within the management agencies and others. Proper management of the fishery
resources includes the integrated process of information gathering, analysis, planning,
consultation, decision making, allocation of resources and formulation and implementation, with
enforcement as necessary, of regulations or rules which govern fisheries activities in order to
ensure the continued productivity of the resources and the accomplishment of other fishery
objectives (FAO, 1997).

Due to the prevailing ill status of the fishery and aquatic resources worldwide which is
especially worsened by human activities, this study aims to ascertain the level of awareness of
the fisherfolk as well as the extent of implementation of the Philippines Fishery Code of 1998 or
widely known as R.A. 8550. Through this study, it will determine how the fisherfolk are guided
with the provisions of the stated laws in terms of their awareness level to the R.A. 8550. Further,
the fisherfolks perception on the extent of implementation of the fishery laws by the
implementors especially the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Local
Government Units particularly in the coastal towns of the province of Cagayan will assess the
effect of the services which include the programs, projects, and activities delivered in accordance
to the implementation of the laws to the awareness of the fisherfolk.

The legal and institutional framework

Fisheries management is possible only in the presence of a suitable and functioning legal
framework. The
Ambit

Fisheries around the world make essential contributions to human well- being, providing basic
food supplies, employment, livelihoods, and recreational opportunities, sources of foreign
currency or recreational opportunities for hundreds of millions of people. They are an integral
component of communities and societies almost wherever humans have access to water bodies:
oceans, seas, lakes and rivers (Cochrane and Garcia, 2009).
 Conceptual Framework

This study is generally anchored on the general concept of Behavioral Psychology

wherein it points out that human beings actions or behaviors are guided by laws existing in their
respective environment. This belief rests on assumptions that behavior is lawful by which
peoples behavior is entirely affected by their environment and if the laws of behavior are
known, it is more likely that behavior can be controlled ( Recio, Mejico and Aonuevo, 2004).

According to Watson (1985), the environment in which people find themselves can
substantially alter how they behave. He perceived that if human beings discover the laws relating
behavior to the environment, there seems little doubt that their capacity to control behavior
would increase.

Torell and Salamanca (2002) further explained the concept by citing community
participation as one way to control the behavior of the people and make them fully aware of
their environment. The two even emphasized that community participation is crucial to the
success of any regulatory program. In this case, there is a higher probability of success when the
community, the people, is involved at the earliest stages of the implementation of any regulatory
programs through the launching of different activities, programs and the like.

However, though behaviors can be controlled by the laws existing in the environment,
increased in the possibility of awareness and strict adherence to the law are still triggered by
some coercion or physical force (punishment) and reinforcements in a form of praise,
recognition, incentives and etc. Hence to achieve this full capacity to control the desirable
peoples behavior, implementers, administrators or leaders entice them with incentives. (Watson
and Tharp, 1985).

This was supported by Tolmans Latent Learning theory wherein it claims that human learning
and awareness are not exhibited in overt performance until there is an incentive to do so.
Therefore unlike animals, peoples behaviors to learn and become fully aware of their
environment are always enforced by reinforcement.

Social Cognitive Theory a perspective on how both environmental and cognitive factors interact
to influence human learning and behavior. Social Cognitive Approach focuses on what and how
people learn from one another, encompassing such concepts as observational learning, imitation,
and modeling. This theory tells that people learn by observing the behaviors of others as well as
by observing the outcomes of those behaviors. The consequences of behavior play a role in
learning. Cognition plays a role in learning wherein social cognitive theorists maintain that an
individuals awareness of response- reinforcement and response punishment contingencies are an
essential component of learning process. Theorists also assert that expectations of future
reinforcements and punishments can have a major impact on the behaviors that people exhibit
(Ormrod, 2004).
According to Jean Piaget, people interact with their environment through two unchanging
processes which he called the functions known as assimilation and accommodation. Behaviorism
Theory says that learning is largely the result of environmental events. Rather than use the term
learning, behaviorists often speak of conditioning; an organization is conditioned by
environmental events.

Humans apparently work harder when incentives are more attractive.

According to Perls Dictum, if the individual is aware of the structures, the awareness itself is the
organizing principle and thoughts are transformed into the process of thinking; memories may
become the process of remembering.

However, this study adheres to the typology used by _____________________ that awareness
and actions of humans are influenced by the activities conducted in their locality which has
relevance to the concepts stipulated in such law for instance their awareness of the laws existing
in the government are influenced by the concrete/strong implementation of activities conducted
relative to a particular law.

With the theories and concepts presented here, this study views that problems on illegal fishing
activities and exploitation of fishery resources are attributed by the fisherfolks lack of awareness
to the existing fishery laws, the punishment and penalties imposed, which is assumed to be due
to the lax implementation of the provisions of the Philippines Fishery Code of 1998 to be exact.
Using the ________________ typology of _______________ will determine how effective are
the existing programs, projects, and activities of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
in increasing the awareness level of fisherfolk which would result to the pursuit to stop activities
which damages the fishery and aquatic resources.

How should BFAR increase the awareness of the fisherfolk on the provisions of R.A. 8550 is
dependent on the PPAs conducted by the said bureau. In this study, the different PPAs of BFAR
will be used to determine the level of awareness of the fisherfolk.
 Conceptual Framework

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

Programs, Projects, and

Activities (PPAs) of the
Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources with
relevance to the provisions Level of awareness of
stipulated in the Philippines fisherfolk and extent of
Fisheries Code (R.A. 8550) implementation of R.A. 8550

Philippine National
Aquasilviculture Program
(PNAP)
Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources Management
Council
Farmers and Fisherfolk
Month Celebration
Activities
Illegal, Unreported,
Unregulated Fishing (IUUF)

Profile of the respondents as to:

age
sex
number of children
socio-economic status
highest educational
attainment
other sources of income
fishery-related trainings
attended
 Statement of the Problem

Specifically, the study seeks answers to the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the fisherfolk in terms of the following:

a) age;
b) sex;
c) number of children;
d) socio-economic status;
e) highest educational attainment;
f) other sources of income; and
g) fishery related trainings attended
2. What is the level of awareness of the respondents to the following provisions of R.A.
8550:
a) Utilization, Management, Development, Conservation and Allocation System
b) Fishery Reserves, Refuge and Sanctuaries
c) Prohibitions and Penalties
3. How do the fisherfolk assess the extent of implementation of the provisions of R.A. 8550
under Utilization, Management, Development, Conservation and Allocation System,
Fishery Reserves, Refuge and Sanctuaries and Prohibitions and Penalties?
4. What are the existing programs, projects and activities of BFAR which entail the
provisions stated in item 2?
5. Are the fisherfolk aware of the existing programs, projects, and activities implemented by
BFAR and its partner Local Government Units (LGUs)?
6. Are there differences in the extent of awareness about the R.A. 8550 when respondents
are grouped by profile characteristics?
7. Are there significant differences in the assessment of respondents on the extent of
implementation of R.A. 8550?
8. Is there a significant effect/ relationship on the level of awareness of the fisherfolk on
their awareness on the programs, projects, and activities of BFAR?
9. Is there a significant relationship between extent of awareness and implementation of
R.A. 8550?

Research Hypothesis

a. There is no difference in the extent of awareness about the R.A. 8550 when respondents
are grouped by profile characteristics.
b. There is no significant difference in the assessment of respondents on the extent of
implementation of R.A. 8550.
 c. There is no significant effect/ relationship on the level of awareness of the fisherfolk on
their awareness on the programs, projects, and activities of BFAR.
d. There is no significant relationship between extent of awareness and implementation of
R.A. 8550.

Significance of the Study

Scope and Delimitation

Definition of Terms

Review of Related Literature

Basic principles of Learning (Hjelle and Ziegler, 1992)

1. Acquisition- initial learning. It is influenced by the order and timing of the presentation.
2. Extinction- elimination of a learned response by removal of the unconditioned stimulus
or reinforcement.
3. Generalization- tendency to respond stimulus that is similar to conditioned stimulus.
4. Discrimination- ability to distinguish between different stimuli.

Skinners Principles of Behavioral Learning

1. Operant conditioning involves learning of an association between a spontaneously
omitted action and its consequences.
2. Behavior is gradually shaped, or guided, by the reinforcement of responses that come
closer and closer to the desired behavior.
 3. When punishment is strong, immediate, consistent and inescapable it does suppress
unwanted behavior. However, punishment has the following side effects: a) behavior that
is punished may be temporarily inhibited or hidden from the punishing agent but not
necessarily extinguished; b) even if punishment suppresses unwanted behavior, it does
not replace that behavior with one that is more adaptive; c) punishment can sometimes
backfire because stimulus thought to be aversive may prove rewarding; d) severe
punishment can erase fear, anger, frustration, and other negative emotions leading the
person to strike back, retaliate or run away.

What is R.A 8550?

Chapter II of R.A 8550

Utilization, Management, Development, Conservation and Allocation System of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources
 Chapter 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

This study will use mixed method since it will require the collection of numerical and
non-numerical data to clearly draw answers to the problems mentioned in this study. Also, it will
specifically use Descriptive Comparative and Descriptive Correlational Methods to compare
characteristics of groups according to some selected variables, without the purpose of
determining the cause of such difference and to ascertain the relationships between two or more
variables.

As to the use of Descriptive Comparative Method, it is designed to compare the level and
extent of awareness of fisherfolk about the provisions of R.A. 8550 when they will be grouped
by profile characteristics. Also, it is intended to determine the comparison on the fisherfolk
assessment to the extent of implementation of the provisions of R.A. 8550 under Utilization,
Management, Development, Conservation and Allocation System, Fishery Reserves, Refuge and
Sanctuaries and Prohibitions and Penalties. Moreover, it will be used to determine the
differences in the assessment of respondents on the extent of implementation of R.A. 8550.
Lastly, this will also guide the researcher in determining the comparison as to the effect/
relationship on the level of awareness of the fisherfolk on their awareness on the programs,
projects, and activities of BFAR and the relationship between the extent of awareness and extent
of implementation of R.A. 8550 as perceived by the respondents.

Locale of the Study

The study will particularly cover the coastal municipalities of the province of Cagayan
named Sta. Ana, Gonzaga, Sta. Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Ballesteos, Abulug, Pamplona,
Sanchez Mira, Claveria and Sta. Praxedes. In the study, the researcher will exclude the coastal
municipalities of Calayan of Cagayan and the coastal municipalities of Isabela Province which
are far flunk areas and is impossible to reach without means.