Govt doing something vs pollution threatening fish – spokesperson
The government is already addressing the problem of pollution threatening the country’s fish supplies, a Malacañang spokesperson said on Saturday.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BRAFR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are already doing their part to address the problem.
“Nakikipag-coordinate ang BFAR sa ilalim ni Atty. Asis Perez para ma-dismantle ng local government units ang illegal pens. [DENR Secretary Ramon] Paje and other agencies have cracked down on smoke emission centers,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.
She added pollution is an issue the DENR is “very aware of.”
Earlier, United Nations marine experts said rising wealth in Asia and fishing subsidies are driving over-exploitation of the world’s fish resources, while fish habitat is being destroyed by pollution and climate change.
They warned up to 32 percent of the world’s fish stocks are over-exploited, depleted or recovering, and up to half of the world’s mangrove forests and a fifth of coral reefs that are fish spawning grounds have been destroyed.
UN Environment Programme's marine, coastal and freshwater office head Jacqueline Alder said the increasing ranks of rich Asians are driving demand for better-quality fish that are often not abundant, adding pressure to their supply.
“People don’t want to eat the little anchovies anymore when they can eat a nice snapper or grouper – much nicer fish, shows much more of your wealth,” she said.
She added booming population, more awareness of health benefits from eating fish, fuel and boat-building subsidies in industrial fisheries, weak management and limited understanding of ecosystems’ values are also driving fish over-exploitation.
She said subsidies should be reduced or eliminated, fishing gears should be less destructive, and the number of boats and fishers reduced. Habitat management should also be strengthened and marine protected areas established.
Vincent Sweeney, UNEP’s coordinator for the Global Program of Action to prevent marine environment degradation from land-based pollutants, said up to 90 percent of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated into rivers, lakes and oceans, posing one of the most serious threats to water resources. — LBG, GMA News
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BRAFR) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are already doing their part to address the problem.
“Nakikipag-coordinate ang BFAR sa ilalim ni Atty. Asis Perez para ma-dismantle ng local government units ang illegal pens. [DENR Secretary Ramon] Paje and other agencies have cracked down on smoke emission centers,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.
She added pollution is an issue the DENR is “very aware of.”
Earlier, United Nations marine experts said rising wealth in Asia and fishing subsidies are driving over-exploitation of the world’s fish resources, while fish habitat is being destroyed by pollution and climate change.
They warned up to 32 percent of the world’s fish stocks are over-exploited, depleted or recovering, and up to half of the world’s mangrove forests and a fifth of coral reefs that are fish spawning grounds have been destroyed.
UN Environment Programme's marine, coastal and freshwater office head Jacqueline Alder said the increasing ranks of rich Asians are driving demand for better-quality fish that are often not abundant, adding pressure to their supply.
“People don’t want to eat the little anchovies anymore when they can eat a nice snapper or grouper – much nicer fish, shows much more of your wealth,” she said.
She added booming population, more awareness of health benefits from eating fish, fuel and boat-building subsidies in industrial fisheries, weak management and limited understanding of ecosystems’ values are also driving fish over-exploitation.
She said subsidies should be reduced or eliminated, fishing gears should be less destructive, and the number of boats and fishers reduced. Habitat management should also be strengthened and marine protected areas established.
Vincent Sweeney, UNEP’s coordinator for the Global Program of Action to prevent marine environment degradation from land-based pollutants, said up to 90 percent of sewage in developing countries is discharged untreated into rivers, lakes and oceans, posing one of the most serious threats to water resources. — LBG, GMA News
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