RAIN or shine, Mayor Belen Fernandez is not budging from the August 31 deadline she set for the dismantling of illegal fish structures in the rivers of Dagupan.

“Like what I have said, the cut-off is end of August,” Fernandez said during the KBP forum on Aug. 22.

After the Aug. 31 deadline, the mayor said she will mobilize all the concerned departments of the city, including the police, to dismantle all remaining illegal fish pens.

Fernandez admitted that there are still more than 100, out of 205, structures standing but 46 of these are under review based on claims of legitimate operations.

The owners presented documents purportedly attesting that the fish pens were built inside their property that were originally river banks but have since became part of the waters.

All these, said Fernandez, have been referred to the legal office to ensure that no law will be violated in case the city proceeds with the demolition of the structures.

The ongoing dismantling is being handled by Task Force Bantay Ilog headed by City Agriculturist Emma Molina with Ronnie Cayabyab as action officer.

The other members of the task force include elements of the Philippine National Police, Maritime, and the City Engineers Office, among others.

The illegal structures, that started to proliferate in March this year despite a standing moratorium on fish pens issued in 2011, are mostly in barangays Calmay, Carael, Lucao, Tapuac, Poblacion Oeste, Salapingao, Lomboy, Pugaro and in Sitio Tococ.

PROFILING

At the same time, Fernandez announced that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) through Dr. Westly Rosario, head of the BFAR’s National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC), is now profiling the Dagupan rivers to determine the most suitable fish and shellfish species for particular sections to enable local fish farmers to earn more.

“With fish pens still there continue polluting our rivers, we can not maximize the production of fishes suitable to the place,” Fernandez said.

BANGUS PRICE

Meanwhile, the price of milkfish in Dagupan, the city’s main produce, went up to P90 pesos per kilo from a low of P75 per kilo in past weeks despite the two successive weather disturbances in as many weeks.

Fernandez attributed the increase in price to the unity of the consignacion members who now prioritize the selling of Dagupan bangus, considered of higher quality and value, over milkfish produced in western Pangasinan.

She added that fishponds for bangus were barely affected by the typhoons as operators had ample forewarning and time to install nets to prevent the fishstock from overflowing.

Further, no forced harvest was noted, she added.—with report from Eva Visperas

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