DAGUPAN City Mayor Belen Fernandez is contemplating to declare environmental emergency in Dagupan, noting the very serious and concerning condition of the city’s rivers caused by the 1,460 oversized fish pens.

The agriculture office reported that 1,200 of these are operating beyond their carrying capacities, largely overstocked and where some 5,000 tons of commercial feeds are being downloaded yearly, resulting in serious river pollution.

“To my fellow Dagupenos — we have difficult days ahead. I am contemplating on declaring an environmental emergency. Clearly, we see and experience cruel impact now. We need to act and we need to act fast”, Fernandez underscored in herFirst 100 Days Report before the people of Dagupan at Dagupan People’s Astrodome on Wednesday (October 26).

Fernandez said the illegal fish pens that proliferated  because the past city administration disregarded the mandated enforcement of the city’s Comprehensive Fisheries Ordinance of 2003 and its amendments.

Many of the 1,460 illegal fish pens that were allowed to operate exceeded the number and sizes prescribed by the ordinance.

According to Fernandez, the fish pens are not only overstocked but the fishes in captivity are also undergoing excessive feeding to make these grow to marketable sizes faster, a malpractice further compromising the eco-systems of the rivers and the environment.

The worst discovery, Fernandez said, is that some if not most of the oversized fish pens had been validated to be owned by public officials and their supporters or their allies, but whom she did not name, and one of whom operates 10 fish pens with each fish pen having an area of 1,000 square meters or more.

She warned that an environmental disaster is forthcoming, if not worse than fish kills in Dagupan in 2002 and 2006.

The amendment introduced during the last term of Fernandez was the provision that only fish cages with a size of 7 x 10 meters are allowed and each one must be operated by small fishermen in the barangays where these are situated as part of their livelihood. Fish pen was dubbed as anti-environment.

Fernandez said the heavy siltation of the city’s river beds are aggravating the flooding in Dagupan, citing the Calmay River that had since became shallow because of the thick deposit of silt.

Fernandez already warned fish pen owners that if they fail to demolish their structures after their last harvest, the city government will demolish these at a cost.

“Ngayon, isinasagawa na po natin ang pagsasaayos at paglilinis ng ating mga kailugan. Pinagtibay na natin ang Task Force Bantay Ilog. Pinalakas na po natin ang ating pagbabantay sa mga ilog,” (Leonardo Micua)

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