Iloilo opposes proposal to close Visayan Sea

By JAIME ESPINA ILOILO CITY – The provincial government of Iloilo on Friday said the proposal by a non-government organization to close the Visayan Sea to commercial fishing for five years is “too drastic" and would adversely affect food security in the province. The non-government Visayan Sea Squadron led by lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr. earlier proposed a five-year ban on commercial fishing in the Visayan Sea, a major fishing ground for fishermen from Negros Occidental, Iloilo, Cebu, Capiz and Masbate. The Visayan Sea Squadron, earlier issued a statement saying the fishing ground has been depleted by commercial and illegal fishing while its coral reefs, a spawning ground for fish species, have been destroyed “99 percent.". The group said the proposed five-year closure would allow the Visayan Sea to replenish fish stocks. Manuel Mejorada, Iloilo provincial administrator, however, said the fisherfolk would not survive with a total closure of the Sea. “We share their concern for our marine resources but not to the extent of such drastic measures," Mejorada said. Only Negros Occidental Gov. Joseph Marañon and Cebu Gov. Pablo Garcia supported the proposal. Marañon’s brother, former Rep. Alfredo Marañon, was one of those who earlier proposed the closure of the Visayan Sea. The Visayan Sea is closed every year from November 15 to March 15, the spawning season for sardines and two other main fish species. Mejorada estimated that fishing accounts for 30 percent of the province’s economy. He said Iloilo prefers to focus more “on enforcement of fishing laws by banning the use of active gear" such as trawls, purse seines and fine mesh nets within municipal waters. The use of “active gear" has been blamed for catching small fry and for destroying coral reefs. “We have even compromised," Mejorada said, adding that the local government will enforce a 10-kilometer municipal waters limit, less than the 15-kilometers mandated by the Fisheries Code. Mejorada said the waters around Islas de Higantes off Carles, the province’s “biggest fishing ground," is an exception to the rule because the “area between Higantes and the mainland is very rich." “All we ask of the commercial fishers is that they do not use active gear or go too close inshore," Mejorada said. Contrary to earlier claims by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that the enactment of the Fisheries Code caused problems because of the creation of various Bantay Dagat units aside from the existing law enforcement agencies, Mejorada said “the problem of illegal fishing starts with" BFAR itself. He said the agency, which is responsible for granting fishing licenses, “should know outright during registration whether fishing boats use active gear or not." He urged BFAR to “exercise its regulatory powers more strictly." - GMANews.TV