Subsistence fishermen and those who could not afford the cost of fishing farther out in the open seas will be the primary beneficiaries of the plan to dismantle illegal fish cages and pens in Manila Bay, officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.
“With these illegal fish pens and fish cages out of the picture, small fishermen with no motorized fishing boats have more areas to fish in Manila Bay,” DENR Undersecretary for Solid Waste Management and Local Government Units Concerns Benny D. Antiporda said.
Interviewed by the BusinessMirror, the official maintained that clearing Manila Bay of illegal structures is mandated by no less than the Supreme Court, which compels 13 government agencies, including the DENR to rehabilitate Manila Bay.
Fish cages and pens, and the use of styrofoam, Antiporda said, is causing environmental pollution and contributes to the degradation of Manila Bay.
The official added that there are now methods of growing mussels and oysters that do not require the use of bamboo poles and styrofoam, which are among the bulk of the garbage hauled by the DENR during a recent coastal clean up activity along Roxas Boulevard and some areas in Cavite Province recently.
Antiporda’s sentiment was echoed by DENR Calabarzon Regional Executive Director and Manila Bay Site Coordinating and Management Office (MBSCMO)-4 Regional Coordinator, Nilo B. Tamoria who said the dismantling will allow small fishermen access to their traditional fishing ground long occupied by these illegal structures in Manila Bay.
MBSCMO-4 Deputy Regional Coordinator, Cynthia N. Rozaldo also backed Tamoria’s statement, explaining that the local small-scale fisherfolk will be affected positively once the illegal fish cages, fish pens, and “baklad” are removed from the waters of Cavite City, Kawit and Noveleta, Cavite.
Most of the illegal fishing structures installed in the said areas, she said, are owned by big industries. “There are spaces in between fish cages and pens, however, the chances for our small fisherfolk to catch fishes within those areas are little as most fishes are already trapped in the said fishing structures,” she explained.
“The only places where small fisherfolk could have a good catch are in farther areas where big fishing structures are no longer present. It would cost them some gasoline going back and forth,” she emphasized.