Govt told to step up efforts to expand local fish stocks
THE government should strictly implement laws that seek to combat overfishing to increase the country’s fish stocks, according to a lawmaker.
AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert T. Lee said the government should tighten the implementation of laws to safeguard against overfishing.
While acknowledging President Marcos’ stance on not imposing a fishing ban last year, Lee stressed the importance of fully implementing regulations designed to safeguard marine resources.
“While President Marcos said last year that he was not imposing a fishing ban, the government should fully implement existing fishery laws and regulations that would deter illegal fishing activities and the encroachment of commercial fishing vessels into municipal waters.”
His call for stricter enforcement of the law follows the release of a Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) report revealing a 5.2 percent decline in fisheries production during the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year.
“We are pleased that our year-on-year agricultural output increased somewhat in Q4. However, it is equally alarming to witness a decline in our fisheries production. We must intensify efforts to monitor overfishing and illegal fishing, as these are major contributors to the depletion of our fish stocks.”
Lee said the decline in fisheries production “is certainly very concerning considering that we are an archipelagic country with one of the longest coastlines in the world.”
“We are declared the world’s center of marine biodiversity, yet our fisheries output has been consistently declining,” he said.
Highlighting the significance of a vibrant fish supply in promoting food security, Lee said there is a need for “proactive measures” to address the challenges faced by local fishermen.
“We believe that this administration has the necessary political will to enforce laws protecting the livelihoods of our small-scale fisherfolk and alleviate their concerns about providing for their families, especially during times of illness.”
Lee specifically mentioned the implementation of the Fisheries Code, advocating for the installation of the vessel monitoring system (VMS) and electronic reporting system (ERS) on commercial fishing vessels flying the national flag.
“The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources [BFAR] has already mandated the installation of VMS and ERS on all commercial fishing vessels. This move is crucial in ensuring sustainable fishing practices and protecting the interests of our local fisherfolk.”
Galunggong supply
BFAR, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), said it anticipates an increase in the supply of local galunggong as Palawan, a major source of round scad in Luzon, ended its closed fishing season on January 31.
Amid the low supply of round scad, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) warned the DA against allowing another round of fish importation.
Pamalakaya, a national alliance of organizations of small fishermen and fisherfolk, said the low supply of galunggong due to the closed fishing season in major fishing grounds may prompt the DA to issue import permit for around scad.
“Importation is not the solution to the problem of local supply and high prices. Instead, it will impact local fishermen because it will further bring down the price of their product once cheaper fish, although low quality, imported fish start to come in,” Fernando Hicap, national chairman of Pamalakaya said in a statement.
Hicap said flooding the market with imported fish will not guarantee lower prices because fish traders allegedly control the farmgate and retail price.
He blamed this on the supposed failure of the government to buy fish from local producers at a reasonable price and bring them to the market, again at a reasonable price.
“Instead of importing fish, small fishermen should close rank to end the closed fishing season and maintain their exclusive right over the 15-kilometer fishing waters. The reason for the depletion of the fish stock is the entry of big fishing vessels inside the municipal waters that usually cause destruction and use unsustainable fishing methods.”
Bangus prices
BFAR assured that the retail prices of other fish species like bangus and tilapia remain stable in the National Capital Region.
While the general price situation of bangus and tilapia is stable, Bfar said “minor price differences”are possible due to several factors, including varying sizes of unloaded supplies in wet markets as well as the type of the market.
“Large-sized bangus, for example, commands a higher price of P200-P240 per kilo. In addition, secondary markets—which source their supply from primary markets—may sell fisheries products at marked-up prices,” it said in a statement.
“Rest assured that price and supply monitoring efforts are continuously overseen by Bfar and other concerned agencies to ensure that fish commodities are affordable and sufficient for the consumers in Metro Manila.”