THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has protested China’s fishing ban that covers parts of the West Philippine Sea over which the “Philippines exercises sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”
In a statement, the DFA said it does not recognize China’s unilateral imposition of a fishing moratorium in the “north of 12 degrees north latitude in the South China Sea” from May 1 to August 16, 2021.
“China’s annual fishing moratorium extends far beyond China’s legitimate maritime entitlements under Unclos and is without basis under international law. China cannot legally impose nor legally enforce such a moratorium in the West Philippine Sea,” it said.
“The Philippines strongly urges China to desist from any action and activity that infringes on Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, in contravention of international law,” it added.
The DFA also said that the imposition of the ban “without exception for areas of the South China Sea falling within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines and without limiting the moratorium to Chinese flagged vessels” is a violation of Article 56 of the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
It said the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s historic rights within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line also affirmed the traditional and legitimate fishing rights of Filipino fishermen in the area.
DFA strategic communication and research executive director Ivy Banzon-Abalos said in a message to reporters that China’s ban can curtail and put at risk the legitimate rights of Filipino fishermen to fish in Philippine territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
Earlier, amid the escalation of conflict in the West Philippines Sea, which China claims to be theirs, the Chinese government passed a law ordering its forces to fire on any foreign vessels intruding their territory.
National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon also rejected earlier China’s fishing ban, saying Filipino fishermen are not covered.
"This fishing ban does not apply to our fishermen and the NTF-WPS (National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea) opposes China’s imposition of the same over the areas within the territory and jurisdiction of the Philippines. The NTF-WPS reiterates that our fisherfolk are encouraged to go out and fish in our waters in the WPS," Esperon said in a statement. (SunStar Philippines)