Boholanos get ‘leftover’ fish?

CEBU, Philippines- Are fishermen in Bohol selling the better part of their catch in Cebu?

Bohol Representative Erico Aristotle Aumentado raised the issue following reports that fishermen in the province prefer to bring their catch to Cebu because of higher selling price.

 As a result, Aumentado said, the fish they bring back to Bohol are the “leftovers” of middlemen who meet up with their “suki” at sea, and buy the catch in bulk even before the fishermen reach Bohol.

“Where do the fishes go? This is the nagging question housewives, students and the Boholanos in Tagbilaran City in general still seek the answer to. Bohol is the country’s tenth largest island. The long coastline means many Boholanos are also fishermen, but the fish on sale in the markets are pricey,” said Aumentado in a statement.

 Antonieto Pernia, a member of Aumentado’s Economic Development Advisory Board, admitted they have no data on the reported “missing fish” but they just learned from fishermen that prices of good quality fish they sell in Tagbilaran City is 50 percent more than the price they sell to buyers in Cebu.

 “This is because Cebu buys all the catch while Tagbilaran buys only a part of the catch. Even if Cebu prices are low but they do not need freezers for unsold catch. So, Bohol is left with the common catch among local fishermen,” Pernia told The Freeman.

 Aumentado intends to organize the Boholano fishermen and also to advocate legal fishing methods.

 As an organized group, Aumentado said fishermen would need to sell around 50 percent of their catch to a local buyer who will sell the fish at a reasonable price.

 Another alternative would be for fishermen to “appoint” their wives to do business at a stall at the Central Public Market.

 Aumentado said the scheme is a way to make residents feel the improvement with the help of support from national government agencies.

 Lately, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has made Aumentado the conduit of funds for livelihood projects for the fishing communities in Inabanga and Bien Unido towns and the farmers in Sagbayan town.

 Only recently, Aumentado distributed P1,400,000 to strengthen the fishermen’s associations in Bien Unido and Inabanga.

 Other groups in Inabanga received capital for duck raising and balut production, free range chicken raising and nets to make crab pots with.

 On the other hand, Sagbayan groups received a total P1.4 million for organic vegetables and organic rice production as well as catering utensils for a women’s group.

 Aumentado added he intends to integrate the fishing associations and he wants them to make a difference.  (FREEMAN)