MANILA, Philippines — Senator Cynthia Villar has filed a resolution calling for a legislative inquiry into the persistent operations of large-scale commercial fishing vessels within municipal waters, a practice that local fisherfolk claim is “stealing” their livelihoods and destroying marine ecosystems.
Under the Philippine Fisheries Code (Republic Act 8550), the area within 15 kilometers from the shoreline is strictly reserved for “municipal fisherfolk”—small-scale fishers using boats weighing 3 gross tons or less.
- The Violation: Reports from various coastal provinces, including Palawan, Iloilo, and Zamboanga, indicate that commercial vessels (over 3 gross tons) continue to enter these protected zones.
- The Consequence: These large ships use advanced sonar and massive nets that “vacuum” the sea, leaving little to nothing for local families. This has led to a reported 30% to 40% decline in the average daily catch for small-scale fishermen over the last decade.
The resolution (Senate Resolution No. 1248) seeks to investigate the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and local government units (LGUs) regarding the enforcement of the law.
- Monitoring Failures: Villar pointed out that while the law requires all commercial vessels to install Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM), thousands of ships are allegedly still operating without active trackers or are “going dark” once they enter municipal zones.
- Environmental Damage: The probe will also look into the use of destructive fishing gear, such as “active” nets that scrape the seafloor, damaging coral reefs and seagrass beds which are vital breeding grounds for fish.
“Our small fishers are among the poorest of the poor. We cannot allow big commercial interests to further deplete the resources that are legally reserved for them,” Villar said in a statement. The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform is expected to lead the hearings, inviting representatives from the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and various fisherfolk alliances (such as PAMALAKAYA).