Full implementation of vessel monitoring sought to ensure traceability, safety of fish catch amid oil spill
MANILA, Philippines — An ocean conservation organization called for the full implementation of vessel monitoring measures to ensure that fish and seafood caught in Philippine waters and are safe to consume amid an oil spill.
Oceana Philippines renewed Monday its appeal to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. to lift the suspension of the implementation of Fisheries Administrative Order 266, which requires vessel monitoring mechanisms for commercial fishing vessels.
The organization also urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the National Telecommunications Commission to immediately implement vessel monitoring measures (VMM) and an electronic reporting system (ERS) to detect commercial fishing vessels operating in oil spill-affected areas and trace their fish catch that may be potentially unsafe for human consumption.
VMM refers to any method or system that tracks the position, course and speed of vessels at any given time. It aims to monitor the activities of fishing vessels, their catches and landings, detect illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, and manage fisheries resources sustainably.
ERS records, reports, stores and sends fisheries data such as catch, landing and transshipment.
“We are in an emergency situation and the health and safety of the source of food of the people should be of utmost priority,” Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said. BFAR earlier said results of its analyses were “not yet conclusive as far as food safety is concerned.”
“VMM would definitely help the government identify fish catch for safety tests, and this would have been in place already had the government pursued the completion of VMM installation on all commercial fishing vessels as mandated by the law,” Estenzo-Ramos added.
Karagatan Patrol—which reports illegal fishing in municipal waters—detected 276 vessels in the Cuyo West Pass waters near the municipalities of Linapacan, Cuyo and Taytay in northern Palawan from March 5 to 18. Oil leaked from MT Princess Empress was earlier detected in Taytay town.
Oceana also noted the government’s order to suspend the monitoring of commercial fishing vessels puts the Philippines at risk of another yellow card warning by the European Union.
Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlio Dolor announced Monday that fishers from the towns of Bongabong, Roxas, Masalay, Bulalacao, Baco, San Teodoro and Puerto Galera can now resume their fishing activities.
However, fishers from Calapan City, Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria and Bansud are still not allowed to fish.
MT Princess Empress was loaded with 800,000 liters of oil when it sank off Oriental Mindoro on February 28. The vessel is still leaking more two months since the incident. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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