ANOTHER study has been conducted in Cebu City’s waters to determine the sustainability and capability of the area to support fisheries before implementing no-take zone restrictions.
Personnel of Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission, together with the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries and the Bureau of Fishery and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7, collected water samples in 10 areas fronting the South Road Properties (SRP) on Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 .
Bantay Dagat Commissioner Ed Karlon Rama, in a phone interview on Monday, said the study aims to determine whether these areas near SRP can sustain marine life that is safe for human consumption.
Rama said if the government declares the area as no-take zone, fisherfolk will be prohibited from fishing in the area, allowing the marine life to thrive.
No-take zone is a specific type of Marine Protected Area where all extractive activities, like fishing, are completely prohibited, essentially creating a highly protected area where marine life can flourish without human interference.
“Because our goal in declaring the Cebu City reef as a no-take zone is to offer or be able to provide alternative sources of food and livelihood for our fishermen. Before declaring anything, before making any changes, we need to clarify our alternatives so that the fishermen don’t feel frustrated with these sudden changes,” Rama said.
Seven of the seawater samples were collected in front of SRP and three were collected near the Department of Public Works and Highways 7.
Bantay Dagat and BFAR 7 personnel also collected five different species of seashells and mussels to check their condition, whether they are healthy and edible.
“To a certain extent, we want to determine if they are safe for human consumption. Although they are safe if cooked properly, we want to establish the parameters because we need scientific backing. We can say they are safe to eat, but we don’t know what the measures are, so we need to find out what those measures are,” Rama said.
Last September, Bantay Dagat also conducted a study at the back of SRP wherein test results showed that E. Coli levels in SRP waters exceed the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water. / CDF