Indonesia won’t renew fishing agreement

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Filipino fishermen can no longer catch tuna within the territorial waters of neighboring Indonesia.

Marfenio Tan, president of the Federation of Allied Industries Inc. in Socsksargen (South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City), said this prohibition came following the collapse of negotiations between the two countries to extend the three-year bilateral fishing agreement which will expire on Dec. 12.

"They will ban and apprehend our fishing boats and crewmen if these Filipinos will be caught using the Philippine flag," Tan said.

The agreement signed in 2002 allows Philippine tuna fleets using the national flag to catch tuna and tuna-like species within Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone, and gives Filipino-owned fishing vessels access to offload and get their fishing supplies from major Indonesian ports.

Tan estimates that there are 75 catcher vessels, 150 fish carriers, 20 long liners, 300 light boats and 10 single-purse seine fishing fleets from the Philippines catching tuna in the Pacific and Indian Ocean within the Indonesian exclusive economic zone.

Since the negotiations on the extension of the fishing agreement have bogged down, Tan said only fishing vessels whose licenses have been renewed by their owners before the agreement expires will be allowed to enter Indonesian waters until 2007 provided they will use the Indonesian flag.

Tan, proprietor of San Andres Fishing Industries Inc., the third largest company engaged in tuna-fishing here, said the Indonesian government will also allow Filipino vessels to fish in its territorial waters provided that they would unload their catch in fish canneries in Indonesia and not in the Philippines.

"They demanded (that we) invest in canning factories and other related businesses in Indonesia before they provide us with the license to operate," he said.

Because of these conditions, Tan said only fishing magnates who have invested in Indonesia would enjoy such privileges.

These companies include Damalerio Fishing, San Andres Fishing, Pianco and Frabelle from Navotas, the Rivera’s RD group of companies, and Manila-based fishing firms owned by Nelson Ong and Paul Tan of the Ocean Canning Factory.

The expiration of the bilateral accord would not only adversely affect the estimated P50-billion investments of local fishing traders but would also translate into huge losses in terms of government revenue and jobs.

"Economically and employment-wise, the city would be the first to be affected because 70 percent of our income and our people depend much on the fishing industry," said General Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon.

However, Tan said fishing traders still have other options to survive through the help of the neighboring countries of Malaysia, Palau, and Papua New Guinea. — With Ramil Bajo