LOCAL fishermen are expected to gain greater fishing capabilities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) with the delivery of a new 96-foot steel-hulled fishing vessel by the provincial government early next year.
Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said construction of FV Zambales II is already 80 percent complete, with only finishing touches remaining before its delivery to the province.
During an inspection on Thursday, November 12, at the Stoneworks Specialist International Corp. boatyard in Gen. Trias, Cavite, Ebdane said the provincial government is closely monitoring construction to ensure compliance with the vessel’s specifications and scheduled completion.
The governor said the target is to have the vessel ready before the start of the summer fishing season.
FV Zambales II will serve as a harvester or “mother boat” for the province’s payao fishing project under the Zambales Maritime Development Council (ZMDC), which was launched in late 2024.
Its completion will finalize a five-vessel fishing fleet package intended for local fisherfolk.
The provincial government has already delivered two 45-foot fiberglass fishing boats, FV Zambales III and FV Zambales IV, as well as a 62-foot harvester vessel named FV Zambales.
The two smaller fishing boats will serve as auxiliary vessels, collecting catches from payaos or fish-aggregating devices (FADs) anchored in open waters.
Meanwhile, MV Province of Zambales was delivered in January for patrol operations in waters off the province.
Ebdane said the payao fishing project aims to address the challenges faced by local fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, including risks posed by harassment from Chinese militia.
He said the initiative seeks to give small-scale fishermen greater capabilities to safely venture into fishing grounds, increase their catch, and improve their livelihood for their families and communities.
Engr. Domingo Mariano, head of the ZMDC Technical Working Group (TWG), said FV Zambales II will be equipped with twin diesel engines, an ice maker, a desalination system, and adequate storage holds for fishing trips that typically last a week.
Mariano said the shipbuilder, with the approval of the ZMDC-TWG, incorporated technical recommendations from members of the Zambales Provincial Fishermen’s Association (ZPFA) into the design of the five vessels.
The ZPFA, which consists of 10 local fisherfolk organizations, is expected to operate and manage the fishing fleet.
To prepare for the vessels’ operations, the provincial government is also training ZPFA members to serve as fishing vessel crew.
Ebdane said the training is necessary because the fishing vessels will be registered with the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), which oversees safety standards and documentation requirements for registered fishing boats in the Philippines.
The governor also encouraged the ZPFA to formally establish a fisherfolk cooperative to access government capacity-building programs on managing and operating a fishing enterprise.
Leonardo Cuaresma, ZPFA vice chairman and president of the New Masinloc Fishermen Association, said a batch of association members had completed training courses conducted by MARINA and the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy in San Narciso, Zambales.
The trainees included 26 boat captains and six mechanics who received seafarer’s certification upon completion of their training, Cuaresma said.
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