Sea Cops and Coast Guard Can't Curb Dynamite-Philippines

[John_Brandt]

Legazpi sea cops, Coast Guard can’t curb TNT fishing



By Rhaydz B. Barcia
Southern Luzon Correspondent - The Manila Times
August 29, 2003

LEGAZPI CITY, PHILIPPINES–Mayor Noel Rosal, alarmed by unremitting dynamite and cyanide fishing in the seas off the coastal barangays of Legazpi, convened government authorities, fishing community leaders and police and Coast Guard officers, but the Maritime Police and Coast Guard ignored his invitation.

Rosal was hoping the meeting would come up with a plan of action to stop the rampant illegal dynamite and cyanide fishing activities here.

But no one from either the Maritime Police or the Coast Guard attended the urgently called meeting, although Supt. Frank Uyami of the Legazpi Philippine National Police (PNP) and Supt. Formoso Algarin, deputy for operation of the PNP regional command in Bicol, were there.

For one reason or another, the Maritime Police and the Coast Guard seem to be incapable of curbing illegal fishing activities here. These illegal activities are often done by fishermen right in front of maritime and coast guard offices.

Villagers of the coastal barangays and concerned citizens in this city are complaining about the failure of government agencies to stop violators of fishery law.

Gregorio Padilla, Banquerohan Task Force Resources president, told The Manila Times that at least 10 incidents of illegal dynamite fishing take place daily in the waters off Legazpi.

Dynamite and cyanide fishing are rampant in the villages of Victory, Pigcale, Banquerohan, Sabang, Dapdap, San Roque, Rawis and nearby areas.

Rosal said his office has placed under surveillance the suppliers of bagas-bagas, a kind of chemical that dynamite fishers use.

Jory Los Baños, who represented sport divers in Albay, said cyanide fishing brings irreparable damage to coral reefs.

“It takes about 100 years for coral reefs to recover from the effects of cyanide fishing and 50 years from dynamite fishing. Ninety percent of the coral in Polique Bay have been destroyed by these illegal fishing activities”, Los Baños said.

Concerned fishers’ groups, local governments as well as NGOs here have joined hands to curb illegal fishing by carrying out daily patrols in at least 19 coastal barangays.

 

[Jaime Baquero]

These articles show clearly the lack of resources, commitment and willingness of the Filipino central governemnt to tackle the cyanide issue. Without the active participation of the central government little will be accomplished. It is the responsibility of the central government to protect and manage their natural resources.

I assume the situation in the Philippines is that complicated (economy/poverty) that the cyanide problem is just a little problem, for the leaders. The coral reef ecosystem is not getting the attention it merits. Do they understand the economic value of coral reefs?

 

[dizzy]

“It takes about 100 years for coral reefs to recover from the effects of cyanide fishing and 50 years from dynamite fishing. Ninety percent of the coral in Polique Bay have been destroyed by these illegal fishing activities”, Los Baños said.
.

I don't mean to down play the harmful nature of destructive fishing, but the author would do well to leave sensational speculation such as the above out of the article. Many of the Philippine articles seem to have errors in them. I noticed in the Marivi article that they said the popular arrowanas were from South America. I thought it was the Asian arrowana that was supposed to bring good luck, and that it would be the one that was popular in most of Asia.

 

[John_Brandt]

Mitch,

The journalistic style in the Philippines is bawdy. Most articles are well written and interesting and there is often scathing personal opinions blended right in with the news.

Of course he's stabbing at the temporal significance of poisons or explosives. But he's probably not that far off in his speculation. I've seen blast craters near Batasan Island at Bohol. Hundreds of years worth of reef structure reduced to fist-sized pieces in an instant. It's going to take the time of a human generation before that spot starts looking normal again.

Scientific editorialism is going to be a bit lacking in the casual interviews and special pieces but that's the case anywhere really. There were South American arrowanas for sale in the retail aquarium shops, and big freshwater fishes were in abundance at the little shops. The preferences in species and size were certainly with an Eastern flavor. They like very large snakeheads, arrowanas (Asian & South American), knifefishes, gouramies, catfish & cichlids. Pacus are popular as well.

 

[mkirda]

These articles show clearly the lack of resources, commitment and willingness of the Filipino central governemnt to tackle the cyanide issue. Without the active participation of the central government little will be accomplished. It is the responsibility of the central government to protect and manage their natural resources.

I assume the situation in the Philippines is that complicated (economy/poverty) that the cyanide problem is just a little problem, for the leaders. The coral reef ecosystem is not getting the attention it merits. Do they understand the economic value of coral reefs?

Jaime,

You should understand that the trend in the Philippines is not looking towards the central government to step in and fix things: It is all CB, Community Based. Local Government Units are taking back their rights to their local coastal resources under a couple of important fisheries laws, and the real enforcement is taking place locally now.

As far as understanding the economic value? No, really, they don't get it.
That is the unfortunate truth.
The normal sort of thing that happens is someone finds a really nice area, decides to develop it and in the process, destroys the reef that brought them there to begin with. And most tourists are (unfortunately) too dense to understand the difference between what a reef should look like and what they are seeing. (At least I hope it is that, because the alternative {that they don't care} is too devastating to think about...)

There is sustainable development and use that is taking place, but those examples are still rather isolated and few in number...

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[Jaime Baquero]

These articles show clearly the lack of resources, commitment and willingness of the Filipino central governemnt to tackle the cyanide issue. Without the active participation of the central government little will be accomplished. It is the responsibility of the central government to protect and manage their natural resources.

I assume the situation in the Philippines is that complicated (economy/poverty) that the cyanide problem is just a little problem, for the leaders. The coral reef ecosystem is not getting the attention it merits. Do they understand the economic value of coral reefs?

Jaime,

You should understand that the trend in the Philippines is not looking towards the central government to step in and fix things: It is all CB, Community Based. Local Government Units are taking back their rights to their local coastal resources under a couple of important fisheries laws, and the real enforcement is taking place locally now.

As far as understanding the economic value? No, really, they don't get it.
That is the unfortunate truth.
The normal sort of thing that happens is someone finds a really nice area, decides to develop it and in the process, destroys the reef that brought them there to begin with. And most tourists are (unfortunately) too dense to understand the difference between what a reef should look like and what they are seeing. (At least I hope it is that, because the alternative {that they don't care} is too devastating to think about...)

There is sustainable development and use that is taking place, but those examples are still rather isolated and few in number...

Regards.
Mike Kirda

Mike,

I applaud the CB and LGU's initiatives. Unfortunately, to this level they do not have the infraestructure, human and economic resources to deal with the problem. The central government is washing its hands by no taking direct responsibility and action. It is the central government the one collecting all the fees attached to the export operation (commodity clearance).

Jaime

 

[Fredfish]

As far as understanding the economic value? No, really, they don't get it.

Lets not get too smug though. Take the case of the codfish fishery collapse on the grand banks or the dissapearing salmon fishery on the west coast. Nobody cares to get it, exept those directly affected by the collapsing resource.

No, this is not directed at you Mike. I know you know better. Just thought I would bring some perspective.

Fred.

 

[mkirda]

The central government is washing its hands by no taking direct responsibility and action.

Jaime,

Worse than that. Often times, people within the government protect their own interests, or that of their cronies. Imagine if a BFAR official like Sarmiento went after a cyanide food fish cartel and tried to bring them down, only to be slapped down from higher ups in the government who were acting to protect their own economic interests... Stranger things have happened in the Philippines.

But then again, the same crap happens in the States. Can you say "Haliburton"?

Regards.
Mike Kirda

 

[mkirda]

Take the case of the codfish fishery collapse on the grand banks or the dissapearing salmon fishery on the west coast. Nobody cares to get it, exept those directly affected by the collapsing resource.

No, this is not directed at you Mike. I know you know better. Just thought I would bring some perspective.

The good science shows what needs to be done.
The politicians don't have the cajones to do it.
The average Joe thinks... Salmon... Yum!
End of story.

Apathy is always going to be the biggest problem we will face in any reform movement.

Regards.
Mike Kirda