Fisherfolks seek amendment of province's fishing ordinance

CEBU, Philippines - A number of commercial fishing operators in the Province of Cebu are asking for the amendment of the Cebu Provincial Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Code particularly on the regulation limiting their area of fishing operations.

"It is anti-commercial fishing," said Patrick Topalla, of the Bisaya Alliance of Fisher folks and Operators for Reforms (BAFOR) in a meeting with Governor Hilario Davide III recently.

The group claims that it is impossible for an individual fisher folk to meet the demand of the consumers knowing the demography of the province.

The ordinance, which was enacted two years ago, prohibits commercial fishing operators to operate within 10.1 to 15 kilometers area from the shoreline which is identified as municipal waters.

Davide on the other hand told the group to put their objections into writing.

Although he is open to negotiate on the amendment of the ordinance, Davide has cautioned them to respect what the law is disallowing.

Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, however, does not make the prohibition in the area absolute.

The local government units were given the discretion to issue permits for small and medium commercial fishing vessels to operate within the said portion of municipal waters.

Under Cebu Provincial Ordinance 2012-05, the fine is computed based on the paraphernalia on the spot. Thus, if they use boxes as fish container, the fine would be P5,000 multiplied by the number of boxes.

Topalla said they were not given the chance to voice their objection against the ordinance because they were not invited during its public hearing.

The group admitted that their common violation is the prohibition on the municipal waters. They reasoned that they cannot avoid drifting into prohibited areas because of the sea current and it takes time for them to haul their fish nets.

They denied using prohibited fishing gears and explosives though they confessed that there are operators using such fishing equipments, especially in the northern tip of Cebu. —/ATO (FREEMAN)