Senate probe into commercial fishing within 15-km municipal waters sought

Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has filed a resolution seeking for an investigation into the impact of commercial fishing within the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters on small-scale fishermen, marine resources, and national food security.

Under proposed Senate resolution no. 11, Pangilinan called on the Senate committee on agriculture, food, and agrarian reform to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, in aid of legislation, into such impacts and the scientific basis—or lack thereof— for the 15-km municipal water delineation and the 12.8-meter depth restriction. 

To recall, the Supreme Court (SC) upheld a regional trial court (RTC) ruling that declared certain provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code and its implementing rules and regulations unconstitutional.

The RTC had permanently barred authorities from enforcing the 15-kilometer municipal waters limit.

Pangilinan pointed out that the 15-kilometer municipal water zone for small-scale fishers is “crucial for the sustainability of marine ecosystems, the preservation of fish stocks, and the food and livelihood security of millions of Filipinos living in coastal areas."

He said the proposed probe would thus explore possible legislative interventions and amendments to existing laws and policies to protect the rights and welfare of small-scale fishers. 

“This is about more than boundaries,” the returning senator said. “It’s about protecting the very communities who have long been the stewards of our seas—and ensuring that our oceans remain a source of life and livelihood, not a battleground for survival.”

Several fisherfolk groups have been protesting against the SC ruling to allow commercial fishing within the 15-kilometer boundary of municipal waters.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has also filed a motion for reconsideration before the SC to reconsider its ruling. —VAL, GMA Integrated News