In the Philippine, the Fishery Industry has been considered one of the most potent natural resources for economic development and advancement. The country has an estimated 220 million hectares of fishery resource, 185 hectares of which is classified as commercial waters, 27 million hectares municipal waters and an area consisting about 225,000 hectares has been devoted to aquaculture.
Strategically, the Philippines is located in the South Pacific region, an archipelago of 7,101 islands with a total coastline of about 17,460 kilometers which plays a major role of influence in fishery industry. Its populace of about 61 million people, ore million of which earned their livelihood and employment in fishing or fishery related undertaking. The development of fishery endeavor in the country could be considered dormant in the past years despite the open-access resources although efforts were taken just recently. The adverse effect of political set-backs in the past, weak socio-economic structure and changes in government policies involving research and developmental studies on natural resources, hindered the growth of fishery mission and visions towards improvement of livelihood.
Just recently, the government has took cognizance of the basic importance of fisheries, its technologies and development as a potent resource and the significant contribution it could bring about for the economic development and advancement of science in the country. Notwithstanding the imminence of conserving our natural resources and environment, the role of fisheries in the global setting for the upliftment of livelihood, had been recognized in many socio-economic, environmental and governmental forums held worldwide. These consideration have been well defined and discussed in-depth in the recent assembly of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).
