In Tañon strait: No arrest of fishers until August
CEBU, Philippines — A one-month moratorium on the arrest of small- to medium-scale fishing 10.1 kilometers to 15 km from the shoreline of local government units along the Tañon Strait has been declared by the Philippine Coastguard from July 15 to August 15, 2019.
This is to give time for the 12 LGUs along the Tañon Strait to draft and approve ordinances allowing small- to medium-scale commercial fishing activities with the 10.1km-15km distance from the shore.
Reports of the arrests of fishermen involved in small- to medium-scale commercial fishing activities within the 10.1-15km division by the Bureau Fisheries and Aquatic Resources under the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Coastguard, and the Philippine Navy has alarmed the Provincial Capitol into taking action.
"Iklaro unta usa unsay naa’s balaod --unsay legal ug illegal," Governor Gwendolyn Garcia commented regarding the previous arrests and apprehensions during a meeting yesterday with stakeholders of the Tañon Strait.
Prior to the meeting, fishing activities within the 10.1-15km distance from the shoreline by vessels that weigh above three gross tons was strictly prohibited in the area.
Barili Mayor Marlon Garcia even pointed out that authorities, armed with .50 cal. machineguns, reprimand the small-scale fisherfolks.
However, in yesterday's meeting Garcia clarified BFAR's lack of authority as provided by the law to reprimand and arrest small-time fisherfolks fishing in the strait.
Garcia also brought up Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 which provides that municipal chiefs and local government units have the jurisdiction over these municipal waters (Section 16) and that small- to medium-scale fishing activities may be allowed by an ordinance within the 10.1-15km division from the shoreline so long as it is seven fathoms deep (Section 18).
Small-scale fishing vessels as defined by Section 4 of the said Republic Act are vessels of 3.1 GT to 20 GT while medium vessels are 20.1 GT up to 150 GT.
Stakeholders and the mayors of the affected LGUs have agreed to pass ordinances allowing the commercial fishing activities within the provided range of distance from the shore.
The coastguard and the provincial government then clarified the scope of the moratorium.
"Ang amo lang gitagaan ug moratorium kay ang ilang presence sa 10.1km-15km nga dapat magkinahanglan ug ordinance," Commodore Ronnie Gavan of the Philippine Coast Guard said.
This means that while no arrests will be made within the 10.1km-15km distance, fishing without a license and the practice of destructive fishing methods are still prohibited. (FREEMAN)
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