International nongovernment organization (NGO) Oceana urged the government to prioritize the welfare of small-scale fishermen affected by the ongoing tussle between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea.
Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos said the livelihood of Filipino fishers is affected by the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) activities from “both local and foreign fishers” operating in the West Philippine Sea.
“The Constitution makes the State the duty-bearer in protecting our marine wealth and shall reserve the use and enjoyment of its marine wealth exclusively to Filipino citizens. Our law enforcement agencies, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources have the duty to protect our ocean, the important marine habitats and ecosystem,” Estenzo-Ramos said in a statement.
She said the West Philippine Sea issue, which involved the sighting of around 240 maritime Chinese militia vessels in the area, “should immediately drive concerned government agencies to put in place mechanisms to ensure the safety of our fishers and effectively trace the location of their fishing vessels within our territorial waters.”
“Our fisheries laws are clear on requiring tracking device for commercial fishing vessels, but if we continue to ignore its importance in deterring illegal fishing and harassment by Chinese militia of Filipino fishers plying the Kalayaan Island Group, we will not be able to ensure the safety of our own people.”
Estenzo-Ramos said the government must be “firm in ensuring transparency and accountability in ocean governance” if it wants to stop the continuous plunder of the country’s maritime resources, which poses a threat to the Philippines’s food security.
Together with its partners from local government units, fishers and other NGOs, Oceana said they have been calling for the full implementation of the vessel monitoring mechanisms for all commercial fishing vessels, as required in the amended Fisheries Code that was passed in 2015. The rules on vessel monitoring measures and electronic reporting system covering all commercial Philippine-flagged catcher vessels was promulgated only in October 2020 through the Fisheries Administrative Order 266, according to Oceana.
“We cannot just watch the destruction of our coral and other important marine habitat and vibrant ecosystem in our waters,” Estenzo-Ramos said.
In a recent statement, the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said it is “strongly committed” in ensuring food security by addressing IUU fishing and implementing resource sustainability programs in West Philippine Sea.
“In provinces and coastal communities facing West Philippine Sea, DA-BFAR, through its regional offices, has been providing the necessary interventions under programs like fisheries development, fisheries regulation and law enforcement, and fisheries extension program.”
“DA-BFAR will continuously enforce programs that will benefit our fisheries and aquatic resources and the fisherfolk in coastal communities along the West Philippine Sea.”
Last month, Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said BFAR is already finalizing its study on the ongoing IUUF in the West Philippine Sea, which involves poachers from China, Taiwan and Vietnam, among others.
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