DAGUPAN CITY—The city environment and natural resources office (CENRO) here expressed full support for the dismantling of illegal fish pens and their replacements by fish cages.

Edward Vergara, senior environmental management specialist said fish cages are less harmful to the environment than fish pens, provided the guidelines in putting up fish cages based on the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) system are observed.

“In the use of fish cages, fishes feed on floaters which do not sink to the bottom of the river so water pollution is minimized or totally zeroed”, said Vergara.

He said the proposed 25 square meters area size of fish cages in the city is recommendable even as he called for the immediate demolition of the illegal fish pens which do not have the necessary permits either from the CENRO or the city government.

Vergara pointed out under the EIS, any structure related to aquaculture projects such as fish pens, cages, ponds that exceeds one hectare should secure an environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

He confirmed that in Dagupan City, only Joselito Dy’s 1. 4 hectares fishpond was issued with an ECC.

“We do not know yet who among the owners of the illegal fish pens operating in the city violated the provision of EIS and it is not our office that implements the law since our office does not have police power,” Vergara said.

“All that we can do is to make recommendations to the concerned local government unit for it to act upon,” he added.

He added the office can only wait for the inventory by the city government on the number and sizes of the illegal fish pens before they can make any recommendation. (Hilda Austria)

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