Fisherfolk decry continuing pollution of city’s
POLLUTION OF CITY’S RIVERS CONTINUE
HERE we go again. Something fishy appears to be going on in the management of Dagupan City’s rivers and tributaries by the city agriculture office.
The massive pollution and siltation of the city’s rivers two years ago was caused by the proliferation of illegal fish pens under the watch of City Agriculturist Emma Molina. Today, the touted clean river of the city is again being polluted owing to a malpractice in the use of fish cages.
This was pointed out by Alfredo Dawana, president of the Fishpond Owners, Operators, Fisherfolk Association of Dagupan, Inc. (FOOFADCI) to The PUNCH last week even as he slammed the continued operation of several illegal fish pens in the city’s rivers.
He said it’s bad enough that Molina continues to protect some illegal fish pen owners and now she’s encouraging fish farmers to use fish cages in raising bangus.
Dawana recalled how Molina allowed fish pens to mushroom in the city’s rivers for bangus culture that led to massive pollution and siltation in the rivers.
(A picture of the continued operation of illegal fish pen reportedly owned by a “C. Paragas” in Pugaro was received by The PUNCH. – Editor)
He said fish cages are designed for high-value fish such as malaga, lapu-lapu, sibas and the like, and not for bangus.
He decried Molina’s freewheeling practice of allowing the use of fish cages for bangus raising which, he emphasized, would eventually kill the high-value fish in the river.
Dawana warned that fish cages should not be used for fish-feed eating bangus in shallow rivers because they pollute the place and can cause fish kill, Dawana, whose family has been in the fishing industry for the last 10 decades, said.
He said he commends Mayor Belen Fernandez’s reforms that included the supposed ban of illegal fish pens and encouraged the use of fish cages instead to restore and develop the production of high-value fish, “but it should be done properly, and not in an irresponsible manner.”
Instead of helping the mayor attain her vision for the city’s agriculture industry, he said Molina is causing serious damage again to the city’s fish culture development.
To prove his point, Dawana said he is willing to either go on a public debate with Molina on best aquaculture practices or appear in a legislative hearing in aid of legislation at the sangguniang panlungsod on the activities that continue to pollute the rivers today.
He described Molina’s being chairman of Bantay Ilog as a big joke which he said should be renamed as Bantay Salakay.
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
