Friday, August 19, 2005
Editorial: Protecting Sarangani Bay
THE increasing number of marine life found and returning to Sarangani Bay's shores is no doubt already a victory for conservationists who worked hard to pre4serve and protect the bay's fragile ecosystem.
Recent reports of rampant illegal fishing using fine mess nets, dynamite and cyanide fishing is again threatening the extinction of hereto rapidly disappearing marine life.
Last week, a juvenile hawksbill turtle swam into a net cast by two fisherfolks along the shores of Barangay Kawas in Alabel.
Many others have been reported in Glan and in Maitum.
Science has told us that sea turtles, upon reaching their reproductive years, will always go back to the shores were they were hatched to lay their eggs.
And this phenomenon only happens after 50 years that they grew in the wild.
How many of them are butchered and sold for every one found and released back to the wild is anyone's guess.
Coupled with the recent beaching of young pilot whales and sightings of seacow, it has become imperative and exigent for authorities to renew their vigilance to keep the bay free from poachers and illegal fishers.
Reports say some local officials are again anchoring fish aggregating devices (FADs) or payaw in Sarangani Bay should raise serious concerns.
While FADS are not illegal per see, casting fine nets to catch fish seeking sanctuary in these devices using fine mess net is.
And that is where the danger lies.
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(August 15, 2005 issue)
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