Dagupan mayor orders dismantling of illegal fishpens

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – Mayor Benjamin Lim has ordered the dismantling of illegal fishpens along the river system here especially those constructed in wrong areas or oversized, and those operating without Aquaculture Lease Agreement starting Sept. 1.

A report from the City Information Office showed that Lim has given the fishpen owners until Oct. 30 to close the fishpen industry temporarily. Lim has ordered owners of oversized fishpens to reduce their size within 15 days.

Lim is set to invite fishpond owners, marginalized fisherfolks, environmentalists and groups of big time fish vendors to a symposium to discuss and review the bangus (milkfish) industry and the protection of the rivers here.

Lim is determined to implement a one-year moratorium on the operation of fishpens in the city to give the Sangguniang Panglunsod time to craft a new law, or possibly amend the existing Fisheries Code.

He said there is a need to give the Fisheries Code more teeth to penalize violators and to increase its taxation or equitably taxing it for the entry of small fish crop for marginalized sectors.

During the symposium, Lim said a comparison will also be made on the advantages and disadvantages of maintaining a fishpen and a fishpond to know the difference.                –