Table of Contents Next Page


Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

The Deep Sea Fishing Development Project undertaken by the Government of the Philippines with assistance from the United Nations Special Fund and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations became operational in May 1965. The Special Fund allocation for this project was US$ 1.4 million and the Government counterpart contribution in kind was estimated at the equivalent of US$ 2.4 million. The counterpart agency was the Philippine Fisheries Commission.

The main purposes of the project as specified in the Plan of Operation were: to carry out extensive experimental fishing, to train Philippine fishermen in new fishing methods, to improve methods of fish preservation, processing, marketing and distribution, and to advise on the technical and economic planning of fisheries development.

The manning table for the project, as amended, included 28 months for a fish marketing expert. This post was filled by Mr. Christen Eriksen on 1 January, 1967. This expert was attached to the project for 17 months in 1965–66, but his services were financed by the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance 1 during that period. From 1 January 1967 to 30 May 1969, the services of the expert were financed by the Special Fund project, and the present report is based on his work during that time.

During his first term of duty, the expert made recommendations for turning Pier 14 in Manila North Harbour into a temporary fish terminal until a bigger fishing harbour at Navotas could become a reality. This was accepted at first by the Government but later turned down because of objections from the private fishing-boat operators at Navotas and Malayan. By the end of his second term of duty, investigations and surveys were being carried out by a consulting firm on behalf of the Asian Development Bank for the construction of the bigger Navotas fishing harbour. The survey was scheduled to finish by September 1969. For the interim period a temporary fish market of the ‘Prefab Marcos-Schoolhouses’ type was to be constructed in Navotas.

During his TA assignment, the expert also made proposals for the layout of a fishing harbour at Dalahican, and these are presented in Appendix 1 of this report. Studies were being conducted by the Ports and Harbours Division of the Public Works Department into the construction of the Dalahican harbour, and the expert, during his SF assignment gave ad hoc advice on the investigations and survey.

1 On 1 January 1966 the United Nations Special Fund and the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance were merged to form the United Nations Development Programme.


Top of Page Next Page