DAMAGES to the city’s fisheries sector caused by Super Typhoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung Wong) have been estimated at ₱130 million as of November 12, according to City Agriculturist Mary Ann Solomon.

Speaking on “Sumbungan ng Bayan,” a program hosted by Mayor Belen T. Fernandez and aired live over Kabaleyan Channel 17 of USATV on Wednesday, Solomon said the huge loss came when many fish pen and fish cage operators, as well as fishpond owners, were forced to prematurely harvest their stocks before the onslaught of the super typhoon.

She clarified, however, that the ₱130 million estimate does not yet include damages to fish structures destroyed or swept away by the typhoon’s fierce winds and the three-to-four-meter-high storm surge it generated.

“We advised these operators to harvest their fish stocks early because of the approaching super typhoon,” Solomon said. “Many followed our advice, but some chose to strengthen their structures instead, hoping to protect their investments.”

Despite their efforts, Solomon said, the gale-force winds of “Uwan” destroyed nearly all fish pens and cages along the city’s waterways. Most of the losses were recorded in island barangays where many operators tend their fish pens and cages.

She added that fish from those who ignored the city’s warning eventually ended up being caught by local fishermen using nets called tabal.

In the days before and after the typhoon, bangus flooded the markets and roadside stalls in Bonuan, Lucao, and nearby areas, with prices dropping to as low as ₱50 per kilo—a loss for most sellers.

Noting the eagerness of operators to rebuild their livelihood, Mayor Fernandez asked the Sangguniang Panlungsod to pass a resolution urging the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to provide fingerlings to those severely affected by Super Typhoon “Uwan.” (Leonardo Micua)