Science group warns of fishers stopping operations due to high fuel costs

A science and technology advocacy group on Monday warned that the country’s fish supply could be affected as more fishers skip going out to sea due to the exorbitant price of fuel caused by the Middle East conflict.

Yeb Saño, executive director of the Sentro para sa Ikauunlad ng Katutubong Agham at Teknolohiya (SIKAT), posted on Facebook a photo of a gasoline station in Romblon showing the price per liter of diesel at P142, and the price of premium and regular gasoline at P108.

“If a typical trip requires 10 to 15 liters of diesel, a fisher is looking at shelling out ₱1,420 to ₱2,130 just to leave the shore,” Saño said.

“On many days, the value of their catch will not even cover this overhead, meaning every trip is a gamble that risks a net financial loss. As a result, we will see a massive increase in grounded fishers, as fishers simply cannot afford to set out to sea,” he added.

Saño said grounded fishers would create a domino effect on the supply of fish and food security across the country.

“There are over one million capture fishers in the country and over 2.6 million fish workers. 30% of the fisherfolk sector are living below the poverty line,” Saño said.

Saño said SIKAT is calling for the suspension of excise taxes, the disclosure of pricing by oil companies, the government taking control of oil supplies or placing a cap on oil prices, and using the national emergency declaration to allow basic sectors like jeepney drivers and fisherfolk to purchase oil at government-controlled prices. 

“We are also looking at legal avenues to challenge the excuse of the Oil Deregulation Act for the government’s inability to control oil prices,” Saño said.

Saño said SIKAT’s immediate priority is to monitor how the geopolitical crisis threatens the daily survival of our fisherfolk and to explore actionable, community-based mitigation measures to keep our coastal communities afloat during these turbulent times.

“The realities of a globalized economy mean that a war in oil-producing regions quickly becomes a local crisis for marginalized sectors. The impacts on our fisherfolk are immediate and severe,” Saño said.

“For a municipal fisher using a motorized banca, fuel makes up the vast majority of operational expenses, often around 80 percent,” he added. –NB, GMA News