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Thursday, October 14, 2004
P15M to be raised in aquaculture: Lim
By Bong E. Otadoy
DAGUPAN -- There is money in this city's river and its tributaries, according to Dagupan City Mayor Benjamin S. Lim.
Lim said Wednesday the City Government could earn up P15 million a year by engaging into viable aquaculture ventures that could be spawned within the river system here.
He said the multimillion-peso revenue could be realized through the implementation of a new fishery ordinance that would rule the use of the city waters in its coastal villages.
He pointed out that City Ordinance Number 1768-2003, otherwise known as the Dagupan City Coastal Fisheries Resources Management Ordinance of Year 2003, shall serve as the basis from which Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) shall be created as guide to administering the use of the city's water system.
Lim reiterated that the IRR is geared to confine fishing operations only for bonafide residents of Dagupan to ensure that they shall be the first and only people to enjoy the privilege of using the City's river system and at the same time savor whatever amenities that could be derived from it.
In determining the eligibility of persons interested to avail of the privilege, the criteria require that the applicants must be Filipino citizens who are qualified voters of Dagupan City and must be residents in the coastal barangays where they intend to establish their fishing apparatuses, the mayor explained.
Lim added that the criteria has been set to screen out operators -- who have already installed their fishing contraptions within the City waters - but were found out to be transients and not bonafide residents in the coastal villages where they conduct fishing operations.
At present, there are about 100 fish pens and fish cages existing within the river system. From these, about 8.5 million kilos of assorted, edible fish species are harvested annually with an equivalent value of more than P500 million.
"What is worse is that after each harvest, not a single centavo -- even in the form of tax -- goes back to the City coffers," lamented some concerned citizens who requested anonymity.
(October 14, 2004 issue)
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