A fishers’ group has expressed opposition to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s appeal for Congress to amend the country’s fisheries code, fearing changes may be introduced to allow commercial vessels to fish inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters intended for small-scale fisherfolk.
“It is obvious that the announcement of President Marcos to amend the Fisheries Code purportedly for harmonization was the result of the continuous lobbying of big-fishing firms to operate within the municipal waters,” Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said Tuesday.
PAMALAKAYA made the statement in response to Marcos’ call during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA).
The president called for amendments to “incorporate and strengthen science-based analysis, and determination of fishing areas” to “protect both interests of our fisherfolks and fisheries and aquatic resources.”
“[Commercial fishing vessels] outcompetes the traditional and backward method of fishing. Equipped with sophisticated, if not destructive fishing technology, big fishing vessels can exploit the fishery and marine resources in just a couple of fishing operations,” PAMALAKAYA warned.