SOME 100 owners of fish traps along the Cayanga River within Dagupan City sought the help of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on April 4 after their fish traps called ‘puket’ and ‘sure win’ were dismantled by the provincial government’s Task Force Kalikasan which is undertaking a river clean-up project around Pangasinan.

The fish farmers argued that the task force has no jurisdiction over Dagupan, an independent component city of Pangasinan.

City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina supported the farmers’ position while

Councilor Brian Lim promised to help fish farmers bring the issue to his father, Mayor Benjamin Lim.

Both officials were not aware of the city mayor’s initiative on the issue.

REQUESTED BY MAYOR

Butch Gutierrez, chair of the city’s river and coastal resource management, later clarified that the demolition and seizure of the fish traps actually had the blessing of Lim

Gutierrez said the mayor wrote to Governor Amado Espino asking the help of Task Force Kalikasan to help clean the Dagupan rivers.

Task Force Kalikasan responded accordingly and demolished the structures put up by residents at the Dagupan side of the Cayanga River.

Gutierrez also said that under the mayor’s directive, there will be a moratorium in the construction of fish pens and fish traps in any river in Dagupan as part of an initiative to revive and protect the city’s water resources.

The cleared rivers will soon be dredged and once this is completed, interested fish farmers will have to secure their Aquatic Lease Agreement (ALA) from the city government.

Gutierrez said the displaced fish farmers will be given a temporary livelihood.–LM

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