All illegal fish pens gone by June 15
MAYOR BELEN’S DEADLINE
“TO me, June 15 is June 15.”
This was asserted anew by Mayor Belen Fernandez, confirming that June 15 is the final deadline of the few remaining illegal fish pens in the rivers of Dagupan City.
In a talk to newsmen after the Independence Day program at the city plaza, Fernandez said that per report of City Agriculturist Emma Molina, only three illegal fish pens remained as of June 12.
However, she clarified that one fish pen will still be retained because the area where the fish pen stands on is covered by a land title, and the subject of a litigation.
She said all the other owners of the remaining fish pens are aware of the deadline and they are supposed to remove the contraptions on their own before the deadline.
“Otherwise, we will remove these contraptions and we charge them the costs,” she said.
“There were more than 700 illegal fish pens in our water when I assumed as city mayor. Now, only three were left,” she stressed.
It was learned that the Task Force Bantay Ilog headed by Molina was still busy tearing down illegal fish pens until Thursday.
“We will not give them anymore extension, ” said Fernandez, reiterating the deadline.
She said she will remove members of Task Force Bantay Ilog, who are mostly emergency employees, if they do not strictly follow the order given them – to dismantle every pen without exception.
Meanwhile, the ordinance proposed by the Office of Mayor Fernandez before the SP suffered a snag as councilors still want to find out if the ban sought by the mayor will not affect marginal fishermen, SP Secretary Ryan Ravanzo told The PUNCH.
Under the proposed ordinance, only fish traps, oyster rafts and stakes as well as fish cages will be allowed in the rivers of Dagupan City. (Leonardo Micua)
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