Palace eyes total dismantling of fish cages in Laguna Lake
Malacañang has called on the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to look into the possible dismantling of all fish pens and fish cages in Laguna de Bay to give it a chance to recover from congestion.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque issued the statement after brushing aside the complaints of some fisherfolk and fish pen operators about the LLDA’s restrictions in the lake waters in Rizal and Laguna.
The LLDA recently issued Resolution 540 adopting a revised fishery zoning and management plan in the Laguna de Bay, including a limited area for fish pens and cages.
“We stand by the decision of the LLDA. Ang dapat nga mangyari dyan ay tanggalin na sila lahat dahil kinakailangan talagang pangalagaan ang Laguna Lake. If the LLDA has merely limited, dapat nga pag-aralan kung dapat i-revoke na completely ang fish pens (What is really needed is to remove all of them because we need to take care of Laguna Lake. If the LLDA has merely limited, it should study if the fish pens should be completely revoked),” Roque said during a news conference in Malacañang.
“Ang tingin ko na walang basehan ang hinihingi nila. Ang dapat pa nga siguro mangyari (I think their request has no basis. What should happen) is to have further restrictions to give the lake an opportunity to recover,” he added.
He noted that former Environment Secretary and now party-list Rep. Lito Atienza previously advocated the dismantling of all fish pens to allow the lake’s recovery and rehabilitation.
The Bangus Industry Stakeholders and Dealers Alliance recently wrote a letter to President Duterte seeking his intervention to address the supply and price problems of bangus or milkfish.
The group claimed that the LLDA policies have disrupted the growth of bangus, reporting a 78.8 percent decline in production in the quarter of the year. It also reportedly complained of the LLDA’s alleged lack of foresight and expertise to manage the fishing industry in the Laguna lake.
In 2016, the President ordered the dismantling of the big fish pens and cages in Laguna de Bay, saying the poor fishermen must be given priority in the use of the lake.
Duterte also announced plans to convert the Laguna de Bay into a vibrant eco-tourism zone. He said his government intends to address the negative impact of the watershed reduction, land conversion and pollution in Laguna Lake.