đˇ PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo
The activist fishersâ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) on Friday slammed the Supreme Courtâs ruling to allow commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters, saying this would âadversely affect over two millionâ registered small fisherfolk nationwide.
In a statement, PAMALAKAYA Vice Chairperson Ronnel Arambulo explained that the commercial fishing sub-sector outcompetes the traditional and backward method of fishing of small and subsistence fisherfolk. Equipped with advanced, if not destructive fishing technology, big fishing vessels can exhaust the fishery and marine resources in just a couple of days of fishing operations.
Arambulo also said that even without the latest court ruling, commercial fishing vessels are already rampant within the municipal waters.
âWala pa man ang desisyon ng Korte, laganap na ang operasyon ng mga commercial fishing vessels sa mga munisipal na pangisdaan, na isa sa mga dahilan ng pagkalugi ng mga maliliit na mangingisda.
Dahil sa abanteng kagamitan, mabilis na nasasaid ng mga malalaking barkong pangisda ang lahat ng klase ng yamang-dagat kumpara sa mga maliliit na mangingisda na relatibong atrasado ang kagamitan.
Nakakagalit na nanaig ang boses ng malalaking negosyo sa usapin ng paggamit sa tradisyunal na pangisdaan ng mga maliliit na mangingisda.
Tiyak na aani ng protesta mula sa mga maliliit na mangingisda ang desisyong ito, at igigiit namin ang pagkilala sa aming eksklusibong karapatan sa munisipal na pangisdaan,â Arambulo ended.
PAMALAKAYA said that it will hold consultations with the municipal fishers nationwide for a plan of action against the ruling.
The Supreme Court recently upheld a Malabon Regional Trial Courtâs decision on the petition of Mercidar Fishing Corp. to declare unconstitutional the preferential access of municipal fisherfolk to the 15-kilometer municipal waters. #
