TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional office in Eastern Visayas reported at least P16 million worth of damage caused by typhoon "Kristine" to the fishery sector in the entire region.

BFAR-8 said the damage and loss assessment (DALA) reports submitted by different local government units showed that the typhoon left partial and total damage to hundreds of aquafarms, fishing boats and gears, and post-harvest facilities leaving thousands of municipal fisherfolk in the region struggling to recover their livelihoods and rebuild their operations.

The DALA showed damages were incurred to 55 hectares of fishponds, 11 fish pens, 404 fish cages, 365 hectares of seaweed farms, 1,442 municipal fishing boats and 1,376 fishing gears affecting nearly 2,000 municipal fisherfolk across the region.

Of the six provinces in Eastern Visayas, Leyte recorded the highest number of affected fisherfolk, with 1,269 individuals. Among the hardest-hit coastal municipalities were Lapinig and Laoang in Northern Samar and Salcedo in Eastern Samar.

BFAR 8 facilities in Leyte and Samar also sustained damages, with losses estimated at P1.7 million.

BFAR central office reported a total damage of P27.7 million in damages to fisheries caused by typhoon "Kristine" in the country, with Eastern Visayas sustaining a portion of these losses.

Christine Gresola, BFAR-8 information officer, said the agency is now consolidating damage and loss assessments within the region for submission of proposals for possible funding by concerned agencies.