The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday said it has identified alternative fishing sites for fisherfolks affected by the massive oil spill from the sunken oil tanker in Oriental Mindoro.
In a press statement, DILG said it will issue a joint memorandum circular soon with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) about the planned alternative fishing sites.
“The DILG and BFAR will adopt a cluster approach to ensure that all affected fisherfolks will have a place to go and congestion in one fishing area will be avoided,” DILG Secretary Benjamin 'Benhur' Abalos Jr. said as quoted by the agency.
In the planned clusters, affected fisherfolk in San Teodoro and Baco may do their fishing activities in the municipal waters of Paluan and Abra De Ilog in Occidental Mindoro.
"Tayabas Bay and Mindoro Strait which are also proposed as fishing areas for the two affected municipalities," DILG said.
The next cluster which includes Calapan City and the municipalities of Naujan and Pola may fish in the municipal waters of Boac, Gasan in Marinduque, and Tayabas Bay.
Meanwhile, the municipalities of Pinamalayan, Gloria, and Bansud can fish at the municipal waters of Concepcion in Romblon and a portion of Mindoro Strait.
The last cluster is comprised of affected fisherfolks of Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao, and they may conduct their fishing venture in Tablas Strait and the municipal waters of San Jose and Magsaysay in Occidental Mindoro.
But according to the agency, Abalos noted that the "fishing ground sharing is still uncertain."
“As soon as the fish samples are okay and there is no more contamination of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the affected areas of Oriental Mindoro, the fisherfolks can already do their fishing activities in their own territorial waters,” Abalos said as quoted by DILG.
