Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK)

The Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) is the Bureau’s incentive  program to recognize the country’s most outstanding coastal communities,  wherein several millions of pesos were awarded as a source for livelihood  projects to coastal towns that best exhibit good Coastal Resource Management (CRM) practices. This program is designed to promote fisheries resource  protection and conservation to fisherfolk and other stakeholders in coastal  municipalities.

The search for MMK will award the top 3 Coastal Communities chosen based  on the following criteria:

• Absence of Illegal Fishing;
• Observance of the off-fishing season;
• Declared marine protected areas;
• Clean, coastal waters without any garbage or industrial effluent flowing to the sea; and
• Effective mangrove protection and rehabilitation program

The prize at the national level is composed of fisheries-based livelihood  projects amounting to Thirty Million Pesos (P30M) for the grand winner,  Eighteen Million Pesos (P18M) for the First Runner-up, and Ten Million Pesos  (P10M) for the Second Runner-up. MMK FY2016 Grand winner was Cortes,  Surigao Del Sur, followed by Palompon, Leyte as 1^st Runner-up and lastly  Calatagan, Batangas as 2nd Runner Up. For FY2017, Cortes, Surigao Del Sur  hailed as Hall of Famer and Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental was the Grand  Winner, then Palompon, Leyte was the 1st Runner-up, and the 2nd Runner-up  was Claveria, Cagayan. Last July 19, 2019, the winners in MMK for FY2018 was  held in Siquijor where the Grandwinner was Macrohon, Southern Leyte, 1st  Runner-up Alaminos, Pangasinan, and 2nd Runner-up Gigaquit, Surigao Del  Norte. In 2019, 1^st prize was won by Bacolod, Lanao del Norte, followed by Dingalan, Aurora  and the 3rd prize went to Lobo, Batangas.

The winners for FY 2020 were announced on May 31, 2022. The Municipality of Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon was declared grand winner and shall receive Php30 million worth of fisheries livelihood projects. The second place was given to Hinunangan municipality in Southern Leyte and the third place was awarded to Libertad Antique which will receive Php18 million and Php10 million worth of fisheries livelihood projects, respectively.

Coastal and Inland Fisheries Resources Rehabilitation and Development

The Bureau will continue to monitor fish sanctuaries/reserves/refuge  nationwide and in 2022, an estimate of 318 monitoring activities will be  conducted. Artificial reefs (ARs) are also being deployed on a yearly basis and  for FY2023, 24ARs will be deployed in different areas.

To promote a mangrove-friendly farming system, a total of 460 pieces of mangrove propagules will be planted all throughout the country. However, in 2023, the conservation of mangroves is a devolved function indicated in the RA 7160 and priority activities related to this shall only be covered on the  assessment of status of mangroves in coordination with DENR.