. Fish cages make Masinloc fishing ground smaller (Philippines)
ABS-CBN News
www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?sect ... &OID=58578
By Rhodina J. Villanueva
August 31, 2004
An alliance of fisherfolk groups, Pangisda, alleged that the fishing grounds in Masinloc town, Zamblaes, have been getting smaller because of the proliferation of fish cages owned by rich businessmen.
Pangisda spokesman Pablo Rosales said that the local government should immediately remove the fish cages which proliferated in recent years in Masinloc and Oyon Bay, a marine protected area.
“The fish cages also cause water pollution which destroys the wild fish stocks that fishermen depend on for their catch,” Rosales said, adding that two incidents of fish kills have been recorded in 2002 because of water pollution brough about by the fish cages.
He noted that the fish cages, particularly the nine found outside the mariculture park, are illegal because they lack the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The local DENR office has recently issued a decision that declared illegal all fish cages occupying grounds declared as a protected marine reserve area under former President Ramos’s Executive Order 231 in 1993. The order covers a total of 7,568 hectares comprising Masinloc and Oyon Bay off Masinloc, Zambales.
Rosales said that despite the DENR decision, local officials and law enforcers are not removing the illegal fish cages.
“It was the municipal government that gave permits to the fish cages in the late 1990s and in 2001, even without the ECC from the DENR,” he added.
The group also denounced the Aquaculture for Rural Development Program (ADR) of the Department of Agriculture which is reportedy causing the proliferation of fish cages owned by rich businessmen.
Instead of implementing the ADR that does not benefit small fishermen, Rosales said that subsidies for improving the fisherfolk’s production technologies, post-harvest and marketing facilities should be provided by both local and national governments.
Earlier, the affected sector held a protest-rally in front of the municipal building of Masinloc, Zambales.
Pangisda also presented to the Office of the Mayor and the Sangguniang Bayan of Masinloc a position paper asking for the removal of the fish cages.
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**Aquaculture News and Information from Around the World** is produced regularly and distributed free of charge by the SeaWeb Aquaculture Clearinghouse to keep interested individuals informed of current news and other information. To be added to the distribution list, please contact us at: [email protected] or visit www.AquacultureClearinghouse.org
ABS-CBN News
www.abs-cbnnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?sect ... &OID=58578
By Rhodina J. Villanueva
August 31, 2004
An alliance of fisherfolk groups, Pangisda, alleged that the fishing grounds in Masinloc town, Zamblaes, have been getting smaller because of the proliferation of fish cages owned by rich businessmen.
Pangisda spokesman Pablo Rosales said that the local government should immediately remove the fish cages which proliferated in recent years in Masinloc and Oyon Bay, a marine protected area.
“The fish cages also cause water pollution which destroys the wild fish stocks that fishermen depend on for their catch,” Rosales said, adding that two incidents of fish kills have been recorded in 2002 because of water pollution brough about by the fish cages.
He noted that the fish cages, particularly the nine found outside the mariculture park, are illegal because they lack the required Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The local DENR office has recently issued a decision that declared illegal all fish cages occupying grounds declared as a protected marine reserve area under former President Ramos’s Executive Order 231 in 1993. The order covers a total of 7,568 hectares comprising Masinloc and Oyon Bay off Masinloc, Zambales.
Rosales said that despite the DENR decision, local officials and law enforcers are not removing the illegal fish cages.
“It was the municipal government that gave permits to the fish cages in the late 1990s and in 2001, even without the ECC from the DENR,” he added.
The group also denounced the Aquaculture for Rural Development Program (ADR) of the Department of Agriculture which is reportedy causing the proliferation of fish cages owned by rich businessmen.
Instead of implementing the ADR that does not benefit small fishermen, Rosales said that subsidies for improving the fisherfolk’s production technologies, post-harvest and marketing facilities should be provided by both local and national governments.
Earlier, the affected sector held a protest-rally in front of the municipal building of Masinloc, Zambales.
Pangisda also presented to the Office of the Mayor and the Sangguniang Bayan of Masinloc a position paper asking for the removal of the fish cages.
------------------------------------------
**Aquaculture News and Information from Around the World** is produced regularly and distributed free of charge by the SeaWeb Aquaculture Clearinghouse to keep interested individuals informed of current news and other information. To be added to the distribution list, please contact us at: [email protected] or visit www.AquacultureClearinghouse.org
