In Davao City, the Fishery Division of the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAgrO) has successfully issued 1,865 fishing licenses and registered 865 boats this year, according to a statement made by Aimee Evora, the head of the division, during a recent radio interview. Evora emphasized the ongoing commitment of her office to facilitate onsite fishing license and boat registration throughout the year, encouraging all fishermen to obtain their necessary permits.
To streamline the process, CAgrO has organized a series of onsite events across various barangays, starting from January 28 at Barangay 76-A Bucana near the coast, and continuing until March 4. These events are designed as one-stop shops, involving collaboration with the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, the Philippine Coast Guard, the City Treasurer’s Office, and the Philippines Crops Insurance Corporation.
Fishermen looking to secure their licenses need to bring a cedula and a completed fisherfolk registration form, along with a PHP50 fee. For those registering boats, the requirements include a PNP maritime clearance certificate, a barangay certificate proving ownership, and a payment of PHP75 for motorized boats or PHP50 for non-motorized ones to the City Treasurer’s Office.
Evora stressed that only registered fisherfolk in the city are eligible to register their boats, and reminded everyone that both fishing licenses and boat registrations are mandatory for anyone engaging in commercial or recreational fishing activities.