Planned Manila Bay fishing ban would hurt small fisherfolk, govt told
ANDREO C. CALONZO, GMANews.TV
09/02/2009 | 08:21 PM
A fisherfolk alliance has asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to reject a plan by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to ban fishing activities in Manila Bay, which is supposedly meant to lessen pollution.
In a statement, the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned that the BFAR’s proposal would adversely affect tens of thousands of fisherfolk whose livelihood are dependent on Manila Bay.
“Secretary Yap is ill-advised on this proposal of BFAR. This stupid and highly erroneous proposal will spur massive protest from Manila Bay fishermen and coastal people who depend largely on Manila Bay’s resources for livelihood and survival," said Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap.
He said BFAR’s “reckless" proposal will displace around 13 million people living along the 190-kilometer coastline of Manila Bay.
Manila Bay is bounded by Bataan in the west, Pampanga and Bulacan in the north, Cavite in the south and the cities of Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Las Piňas in the east.
Hicap said the fish ban will also reduce the country’s fish production. “Nobody will say yes to this mass murder of people’s livelihood," he said.
The group also asked Malacaňang to “back off from this murderous plan" and to consider the good of the people residing beside the bay.
BFAR proposed the partial closure of Manila Bay from 2012 to 2015 following a Supreme Court decision in December 2008 ordering the cleanup of the body of water.
‘Not after small fishermen’
BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. said, however, that “small" fishermen should not worry about the proposal since only “commercial fishermen" will be covered by the ban.
Sarmiento explained that “commercial" fishing vessels are those that weigh three tons and above. “Small" vessels that do not fall under this weight category are not covered by the ban.
“We are not after the small fishermen. What we want to regulate here are commercial fishermen, whose vessels weigh three tons and above," he said.
Sarmiento also assured fisherfolk living near Manila Bay that they would not be displaced and that their livelihood would not be affected by the proposed fish ban.
“No one will be displaced. We will only stop issuing new licenses for commercial fishing vessels. Walang mababawas. Wala lang madadagdag (nothing will be removed, but there will be no addition)," he said. - with Nadezhda Tanola, GMANews.TV
In a statement, the group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned that the BFAR’s proposal would adversely affect tens of thousands of fisherfolk whose livelihood are dependent on Manila Bay.
“Secretary Yap is ill-advised on this proposal of BFAR. This stupid and highly erroneous proposal will spur massive protest from Manila Bay fishermen and coastal people who depend largely on Manila Bay’s resources for livelihood and survival," said Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap.
He said BFAR’s “reckless" proposal will displace around 13 million people living along the 190-kilometer coastline of Manila Bay.
Manila Bay is bounded by Bataan in the west, Pampanga and Bulacan in the north, Cavite in the south and the cities of Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, Manila, Pasay and Las Piňas in the east.
Hicap said the fish ban will also reduce the country’s fish production. “Nobody will say yes to this mass murder of people’s livelihood," he said.
The group also asked Malacaňang to “back off from this murderous plan" and to consider the good of the people residing beside the bay.
BFAR proposed the partial closure of Manila Bay from 2012 to 2015 following a Supreme Court decision in December 2008 ordering the cleanup of the body of water.
‘Not after small fishermen’
BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento Jr. said, however, that “small" fishermen should not worry about the proposal since only “commercial fishermen" will be covered by the ban.
Sarmiento explained that “commercial" fishing vessels are those that weigh three tons and above. “Small" vessels that do not fall under this weight category are not covered by the ban.
“We are not after the small fishermen. What we want to regulate here are commercial fishermen, whose vessels weigh three tons and above," he said.
Sarmiento also assured fisherfolk living near Manila Bay that they would not be displaced and that their livelihood would not be affected by the proposed fish ban.
“No one will be displaced. We will only stop issuing new licenses for commercial fishing vessels. Walang mababawas. Wala lang madadagdag (nothing will be removed, but there will be no addition)," he said. - with Nadezhda Tanola, GMANews.TV
