Tuesday, August 05, 2008 Drop in fish supply prompts probe on dynamite fishing
ALARMED over the “dwindling” population of fish, the Office of the Ombudsman of the Visayas ordered a fact-finding investigation on dynamite fishing.
Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Pelagio Apostol yesterday gave this order after mayors from all over the Visayas expressed concern over depleting marine resources.
Mayors from Masbate, Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Cebu committed yesterday to a two-year self-assessment of their local government units’ (LGU) environmental law implementation.
This will be under the supervision of Environmental Ombudsman Mark Jalandoni. Jalandoni came to Cebu yesterday for the mayors’ evaluation of their environmental compliance with regard to the Visayan Sea.
Jalandoni said the mayors raised marine conservation as one of their utmost concerns.
Apostol wanted an investigation on where the supply of dynamite used for fishing comes from. He said this practice was reportedly most alarming in San Remigio, northern Cebu.
Apart from dynamite fishing, he also listed illegal commercial fishing, harvesting of premature fish and using poison to catch fish as among the most common violations of environmental law.
Among others, the ombudsman asked the mayors to check their compliance with delineation of municipal waters and the registration of fisherfolk organizations and cooperatives.
Mayors were also tasked to monitor the use of “poisonous, noxious substances, electricity, fine mesh net and superlight” in catching fish. The LGUs must also regulate overfishing and fishing of endangered species.
The LGUs were also asked whether they have allotted budget for the compliance of Republic Act 8550, the Fisheries Code.
The mayors are supposed to submit their first assessment by October this year.
Apostol said the ombudsman will coordinate with the Department of Justice after the mayors told him that even if they file complaints of environmental law violations, these often get dismissed by the prosecutors. (KAB)
