Around 2.2 million fisherfolks may lose 90% of fishing grounds after the Supreme Court (SC) ruled in favor of commercial fishing firms, the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said.
The SC ruling would allow commercial fishing firms within the 15-kilometer municipal waters, upholding the Malabon Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) decision on the Mercidar Fishing Corp.’s petition. In a statement by Pamalakaya, the fishermen's group called out the recent decision, stating that this would “ adversely affect over two million” registered small fishermen nationwide.
PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo explained how the Court’s ruling affects small and subsistence fisherfolks. According to Arambulo, the commercial fishing sub-sector outcompetes the traditional and backward method of fishing of the small and subsistence fisherfolk. Additionally, the former’s fishing technology is advanced, and can “exhaust the fishery and marine resources in just a couple of days of fishing operations.”
“Wala pa man ang desisyon ng Korte, laganap na ang operasyon ng mga commercial fishing vessels sa mga munisipal na pangisdaan, na isa sa mga dahilan ng pagkalugi ng mga maliliit na mangingisda," Arambulo said.
"Dahil sa abanteng kagamitan, mabilis na nasasaid ng mga malalaking barkong pangisda ang lahat ng klase ng yamang-dagat kumpara sa mga maliliit na mangingisda na relatibong atrasado ang kagamitan," he added.
Moreover, Arambulo said that even without the latest court ruling, commercial fishing vessels are rampant in the said areas.
“Nakakagalit na nanaig ang boses ng malalaking negosyo sa usapin ng paggamit sa tradisyunal na pangisdaan ng mga maliliit na mangingisda,” Arambulo said.
“Tiyak na aani ng protesta mula sa mga maliliit na mangingisda ang desisyong ito, at igigiit namin ang pagkilala sa aming eksklusibong karapatan sa munisipal na pangisdaan,” he added.
What Happens Now?
The PAMALAKAYA called on the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to think of small and subsistence fisherfolks.
On Monday, January 6, the group rallied outside the DA to denounce the Court’s ruling. According to the fishers group, the DA is “accountable for its failure” to uphold the preferential rights of small fisherfolk to traditional fishing grounds.
Meanwhile, the PAMALAKAYA said that they will hold consultations with the municipal fishers nationwide to formulate a plan of action against the Court’s ruling.
