Cebu mayor gets flak for suggestion to kill whale sharks, dolphins

A mayor of a town in Cebu is getting flak for his suggestion to kill whale sharks and dolphins at Tañon Strait because they were threatening local fishermen's catch.

 

But Dumanjug Mayor Nelson Garcia maintained there was nothing wrong in his stand as they are affecting fishermen's livelihood, GMA Cebu's Gregy Magdadaro reported Thursday.
 

Local fishermen at Tañon Strait had noted their catch was getting smaller and smaller. The area is in the middle of Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Negros Occidental.

 

Garcia said one whale shark or dolphin can eat up to two tons of fish a day.

 

He said stakeholders and government agencies should study their options and decide whether to uphold the lives of residents or those of whale sharks and dolphins.

 

For their part, the environmentalists said the local government could just ban commercial fishing, adding Garcia's claims are baseless.

 

The Environment Department has yet to comment.

 

Citing data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the report said Tañon is the biggest marine protected area in the country. — Joel Locsin/VC, GMA News