Visayan fish ban forces fishermen to Manila Bay

The Visayan wide fish ban has pushed small fishermen from Negros Island to fish in the waters of Manila Bay to catch sardines and mackerel, fisherfolk group Pamalakaya said Monday.

Pamalakaya chairperson Fernando Hicap said 20 fishing boats operated by three to four small fishermen were seen fishing in the waters of Cavite, which is part of Manila Bay last November 16, a day after the fish ban was implemented all over Visayan Sea.

"Our small fisherfolk will have to spend more gasoline and go farther to source their livelihood outside of their traditional fishing grounds...If they use 10 liters of gasoline per fishing trip within Negros fishing waters, that will jack up  [their oil consumption] to 30 liters to 40 liters per fishing trip as a result of this mind-boggling and ill-advised fish ban ," Hicap said.

He said several fisherfolk groups will stage a flotilla protest on November 21 to protest the fish ban.

The Bureau of Aquatic Resources said fish ban is in effect starting November 15 and would end in March 2013.

BFAR national director Asis Perez said the ban would increase the production of mackerel and sardines in the Visayas by 20 percent.

The fishing ban covers the Visayan seas, which include the waters of Masbate and fishing grounds encompassed by the Western, Central and Eastern Visayas regions.

The coverage of the prohibition on sardine and mackerel fishing will start from the mouth of the Danao River on the northeastern tip of the Bantayan Island to Madridejos, through the light house on the Gigantes Island to Clutaya Island, to Culasi Point in Capiz Province, coastward along the northern coast of Capiz to Bulacaue Point in Carles, Iloilo, southward along the eastern coast of Iloilo to the mouth of Talisay River, westward across Guimaras Strait to Tomonton Point in Occidental Negros, eastward along the northern coast of the Island of Negros and back to the mouth of Danao River in Escalante, Negros Occidental. - Dennis Carcamo