The Fisheries, Coastal Resources and Livelihood (FishCORAL) Project is a five-year endeavor (2016-2020) of the Philippine Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aiming to reduce poverty in economically-challenged coastal communities while strengthening local food and nutrition security in the target areas in the Philippines. Its executing agency is the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), under the Department of Agriculture.
The project has three (3) component: Coastal Resources Management, Livelihood Development, and Project Management and Coordination. FishCORAL is being implemented in four regions: Region 5 (Bicol), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 13 (Caraga), and ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao).
Through the cooperation of local government units (LGUs) and the coastal communities, the project aims for the sites to adopt sustainable management of fishery and coastal resources as well as to increase the income of fishing households in the area through diversified livelihood activities.
1. Coastal Resources Management
FishCORAL aims to apply the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management to CRM. This means that interactions between and among all aspects of the ecosystem including plants, animals, humans and organisms as well as non-living components are considered in CRM.
The project design adopts the bay-wide approach to CRM. Thus, municipalities involving contiguous coastal bodies need to work together to improve law enforcement and protect, rehabilitate, and sustainably manage the shared coastal resources within the following bays/ gulfs:
Region 5
Albay Gulf, Asid Gulf, and Ragay Gulf
Region 8
Leyte Gulf, Matarinao Bay, Silago-Cabalian Bay, and Maqueda Bay
Region 13
Butuan Bay and Lianga-Hinatuan-Bislig Bays
ARMM
Sulu Sea and Illana Bay
Expected Outcome 3: Established/ rehabilitated habitats for fishery and coastal resources
Expected Deliverables:
2. Livelihood Development
Restoring depleted coastal resources through the EAFM will not be complete without Livelihood Development. FishCORAL encourages coastal communities to engage in alternative and diversified livelihood ventures other than fish capture. The project aims to provide sub-project support through organizational strengthening and business plan development in coastal communities.
Expected Outcome 1: Fishing households organized into livelihood groups
Expected Deliverables:
Four thousand four hundred and fifty-four (4,454) livelihood groups generating profit from fishery enterprises (50% of members are women).
Expected Outcome 2: Implemented livelihood fishery projects with corresponding climate resilient infrastructure and/or facility support
Expected Deliverables:
Expected Outcome 3: Established/ rehabilitated habitats for fishery and coastal resources
Expected Deliverables:
Expected Outcome 4: Technical support to the communities
Expected Deliverables: