Sual gov’t, fish cage operators face CDO

By August 13, 2016Business, News

MARKER BUOYS CONTROVERSY

LINGAYEN– The Environment Management Bureau of Department of Environment Natural Resources (EMB-DENR) said it will consider suspending the renewal of Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC) of the fish cage operators and issue a cease and desist order to the Sual government and operators in Cabalitian Bay over the deployment of marker buoys in the area.

The warning was issued by Regional Director Victoria Abrera during the inquiry held by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last week, August 3, who also noted that only 70 percent of the 750 fish cages in the mariculture zone have an ECC.

The possibility loomed when Sual Mayor Mayor Rodrigo Arcinue failed to convince the inquiry presided by Board Member Liberato Villegas, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources, together with Board Member Noel Bince, chairman of the committee on laws and ordinances, that the marker buoys were justified and did not affect the fisherfolk, particularly, residents of Cabalitian, Baquioen and Pangascasan of Sual town.

Reacting to the proceedings after the inquiry, Ms. Abrera stressed “It has been our policy to file CDO whenever there is a complaint.”

Petitioners who filed a complaint against Sual government officials for putting up marker bouys, claimed that the marker-buoys only serve the interest of the owners of the fish cages that have mushroomed in the bay area since it deprives resident fisherfolk access to the navigational lanes inside the communal fishing ground.

Kami ay napagkaitan ng aming ikinabubuhay bilang mangingisda samantalang matagal na kami dito sa lugar na ito pagkatapos po ay nababawasan pa ang maliit naming na kinikita dahil kailangan pa naming umikot nang napakalayo para lang makarating sa Cabalitian kung saan kami ay nangingisda,” Elmer Santos of Brgy. Pangascasan lamented.

Meanwhile, Juanito Inocencio of Barangay Pangascasan said he fears for the safety of the school children in Barangay Cabalitian every time they travel to Pangascasan National High School because of the longer navigational lanes afforded them. “Kasi iyong sinasakyan nilang motorboat ay iikot pa nang napakalayo para lang maiwasan iyong boya na sasabit sa propeller.”

Other petitioners informed the SP committee that they were being harassed by armed men hired by the fish cage operators every time they go fishing.

Daisy Moya, acting provincial agriculturist told the inquiry that while the marker bouys protect the fish cages, these are not equipped with anchors to hold them, thus making them drift to the perimeters of the navigational lanes constricting in the process passage ways of the small fishermen. This fact, she said, was confirmed by Sual municipal agriculturist Florencia Guanzon.

Meanwhile, Mayor Arcinue bewailed the committee hearing as “politically motivated” and that the petitioners are not actually fishermen who can claim their livelihood and have been affected.

Mr. Bince, however, rejected the mayor’s claim. “There is no direct evidence to prove that the complaint is politically-motivated,” Mr. Bince said, adding that Arcincue’s statements were mere conjectures and speculations.

Mr. Arcinue defended the installation of marker bouys maintaining that it was in accordance with Section 47 of the Revised Sual Fishery Code, which was unanimously approved by the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice Mayor Dionisio Caburao.

He added that the marker bouys help protect the fish cages from pilferage and theft.

However, BM Villegas told the mayor that installation of marker bouys to enclose the fish cages is ideal but “it should not intend to isolate fishermen from using the fishing waters for their livelihood and to cause burden to school children who are being transported by sea from home to school and vice versa.”

The committee is set to inspect on August 12, Friday the area with the DENR-EMB, BFAR, PENRO and OPAG. (With report from PIO)

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