Building a new home for the fish in Bataan
Cement artificial reefs are now serving as the new habitat for fishes and marine life in
The project aims to address the concerns of rampant illegal fishing in Sitio Marina, Barangay Alas-Asin, Mariveles and is considered one of the most feasible solutions to rehabilitate and answer the dwindling fishing catch of municipal fishermen.
Launched last May, the project is now having a positive impact on the marine resources of the province. Malou Espina, corporate affairs manager of Total Phils., noted that even while the artificial cement reefs are just being installed, some schools of fish are bold enough to approach occupy it immediately.
The local fishermen were taught by BFAR how to make the molds and produce the cemented reefs from the mold while Total, Liquigaz and MAAP—which share the jetty and operate in the area—financed the project, the training for how to properly install the reefs underwater and provided allowances to those that helped in the production of the cemented reefs.
The provincial government provided the ordinance designating the area as protected zone (temporarily banned from fishing) while the barangay/community leaders provided the manpower and designated some fishermen as watchers in the zone.
Total made
“Though it took so long to get the community organized to get the project going, we are very happy with the results. We can see the full cooperation of the people in protecting their waters from illegal fishers (particularly those engaged in blasting, dynamite and cyanide fishing),” Espina said.
The artificial reef program was planned in December 2005 and it was implemented early this year.
Each piece of (300 cylindrical) cement reef costs P600 and weighs so heavy that it needs three people to carry it on land and even under water. The cement reefs are clustered in hundreds or three clusters to make them stronger and avoid banging against each other and breaking in case of strong undercurrents, Espina said.
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