BFAR: China’s ‘no trespass’ rule has no impact on PH fisheries production

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Tuesday said China’s “no trespassing” policy in the South China Sea, parts of which overlaps with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, has no impact on the countries fisheries production.

“In terms of production, yes, the contribution of the West Philippine Sea is significant in terms of our national fisheries production,” BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said at the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum in Quezon City.

“But we don’t see the unilateral declaration of China will actually create impact in terms of production because first and foremost we don’t recognize this declaration,” Briguera said.

BFAR earlier said the West Philippine Sea accounts for 6% to 7% of the Philippines’ entire fisheries sector. Nearly 400,000 fishers are also in the territorial waters.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), likewise, said the number of Filipino fishing boats in the Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc has increased amid the implementation of China’s “no trespassing” policy, threatening to detain of foreigners in the South China Sea. 

“First and foremost, the Philippines does not recognize this unilateral declaration of China. The Philippines will continue to fish in the West Philippine Sea because this is part of our exclusive economic zone,” Briguera said.

“For now, we have not received reports that our fishermen are being arrested, but if they do so… this would be another provocation on the part of China and this is a new violation of the international law, particularly UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” the BFAR official said.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Beijing is unilaterally enforcing a regulation, which took effect on June 15, directing its coast guard to detain without trial foreigners that will “trespass” in the South China Sea.

The Philippines rejects the policy.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled that China's claims over the South China Sea have no legal basis, a decision that Beijing does not recognize. 

Manila calls parts of South China Sea, which falls within its exclusive economic zone, as West Philippine Sea.—AOL, GMA Integrated News