LGUs urged: Enforce new fisheries law

CEBU, Philippines - Local government units are told to adopt and enforce the new fishery law to give more teeth to it and deter illegal and unregulated fishing activities.

Commercial fishing operators and fishermen are also warned of the higher penalties under the new law, which includes 20 years imprisonment.

Lawyer Froilan Pitpit, of the BFAR central office legal division, said there is a need to synchronize local and national laws for efficient and effective implementation as well as to avoid confusion.

This is in response to the passage of Republic Act 10654, an amendatory law of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. The amended IRR took effect on October 10.

The amended Fisheries Code provides penalties from P1 million to as high as P45 million for commercial fishing violators. The persons liable are boat owner, boat captain, and three highest officers.

 It also emphasized an automatic escalation of fines by 10 percent every three years to “compensate for inflation and maintain the deterrent effect.”

The penalty depends on the size of the vessel and value of the catch. Pitpit said the old fisheries law only impose a minimal penalties ranging from P5,000 to P20,000 and does not provide a provision for imprisonment.

“The very purpose of the law is to ensure the protection of environment particularly the aquatic resources and promote sustainability. So people who intend to destroy our resources will have second thought because of the penalties,” he said.

 He said the country's fisheries code now has more teeth and the necessary mechanisms to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

However, he said there has been resistance from the commercial fishing operators and other fishermen because of the high penalties imposed to the violators.

“There’s resistance but its normal. The law may be harsh but it’s still the law,” he said.

 He said BFAR will conduct an information education campaign all over the country in order for the public to appreciate and know the benefits of the said law instead of just resisting.

 Pitpit said illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a “serious threat” to sustainable fishing, affecting the global economy at $11-23 billon losses. This is 13-14 percent of the global seafood catch with an estimate of 11 to 26 metric tons per year.

 Aside from its effects to the economy, he said it also damages the marine environment and socio-economic conditions while creating “unfair” competition against legitimate fishers.

 The law only allows fishermen to go beyond 15 kilometers from shore. The areas closer to shore intended for municipal sustenance fishermen. — (FREEMAN)