2 MIN READ

By SHERWIN DE VERA
www.nordis.net

VIGAN CITY—A group of small-scale fishers in La Union decried the Supreme Court (SC) decision allowing commercial fishing vessels to enter municipal fishing waters, calling it a “death” of their livelihood.

George Cacayuran, chairperson of Timek ken Namnama ti Babassit a Mangngalap ti La Union (TIMEK), said the ruling would be disastrous for small fishers.

“Saankami nga umannamong iti daytioy a desisyon. Kayat na saoen ket saanda kamin kayat a makakalappen, dakami a babassit a mangngalap. Daytoy a desisyon ket saanna kamin ikikkan ti tsansa a mabiag,” said the TIMEK leader in a Dec. 29 interview.

(We disagree with this decision. This means they no longer want us, the small-scale fishers, to fish. This decision signifies that we are no longer being given a chance to live.)

In a recently released resolution, dated August 19, the SC’s First Division affirmed the Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) decision allowing Mercidar Fishing Corporation to fish within municipal waters, except in areas with depths less than seven fathoms. The same RTC ruling also deemed parts of the Philippine Fisheries Code and its implementing rules unconstitutional, invalidating the 15-kilometer restriction on large commercial fishing vessels.

The Fishery Code provides preferential treatment and protects small-scale fishers within municipal waters, which is the area from the mean low tide level to 15 kilometers offshore.

The decision became final due to the failure of the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to appeal on time.

Cacayuran argued that large fishing vessels will dominate fishing grounds and deplete fish stocks available for small-scale fishers.

“Dagitoy ti talaga a mangibus dagiti lames, saan lang idiay adalem a parte no diket pati ti ababaw a parte ti kabaybayan ket awan ton ti makalap dagiti babasit a mangalap, matay ti pangkabiaganda,” he said.

(These vessels will deplete the fish population, not only in deeper waters but also in the shallower fishing grounds. Small-scale fishers will have nothing to catch, and their livelihoods will die.)

National fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) estimates the ruling could adversely affect over two million registered small fisherfolk in the country.

“Wala pa man ang desisyon ng Korte, laganap na ang operasyon ng mga commercial fishing vessels sa mga munisipal na pangisdaan, na isa sa mga dahilan ng pagkalugi ng mga maliliit na mangingisda,” PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

(Even before the Court’s decision, the operations of commercial fishing vessels in municipal fishing grounds were already widespread, which is one reason small-scale fishers suffer losses.)

Aside from concerns over resource sustainability, equity in resource access, and the preservation of traditional livelihoods, groups like Oceana also raised the possible confusion it creates for enforcement agencies.

“This resolution will create confusion among enforcement agencies including our coastal cities and municipalities which are already hard-pressed with enforcement and performing their mandate of protecting municipal waters and the livelihoods of their constituents amid meager funds,” the group said.

“This sends a wrong signal to the industry to continue the overexploitation of our dwindling fish stocks, despite science backing it up,” Oceana added.

Oceana, with PANGISDA Pilipinas, urged the government to act decisively to prevent commercial fishing companies from undermining fisheries laws and worsening poverty and hunger.

Fisherfolk recorded the highest poverty incidence in the 2021 Philippine Statistics Authority report. # nordis.net