FISHERMEN do not approve of lowering the tariff to imported fish. This is because importers increase two-fold the volume of the fishes they bring into the country, according to Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement President Edicio Dela Torre.
He said the Philippines is importing more than necessary from the Chinese.
“Sa taripa, dagdag na problema ‘yan, kumbaga kung ikumpara mo ‘yung nangyari nung mga angal ng magsasaka sa pag-angkat ng bigas. Hindi lamang ‘yung taripa, ‘yung volume, ‘yung kung gaano karami,” Dela Torre said.
“Bakit doble ang inaangkat na lampas lampas sa mismong datos ng gobyernong kailangan,” he added.
Another major problem of the fishermen, he said, is the overfishing of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) because Filipino fishermen catch less fish.
“Ang problema humihina na ang huli naman. Ang isda naman hindi naman nagrerecognize ‘yan ng boundary. ‘Pag nahuli ang marami ng malalaking Chinese vessels, humihina na rin ang makukuha [ng mga mangingisda] sa ating municipal waters,” he said.
“Ang mas mabigat, ‘yung huling dapat may parte tayong malaking portion... Nahuhuli na rin ang mga isda mula doon sa territorial waters at lampas non,” Dela Torre stressed.
He also said that while Filipino fishermen are not prohibited from fishing in the WPS, the Chinese are "fishing aggressively" and harassing fishers.
"Malaki naman ang West Philippine Sea na tumingkad na lamang dahil nga sa kilos ng China na hinaharass ang mga mangingisda sa bandang Zambales coast. Ang West Philippine Sea, meron din sa Palawan, pero dito sa Zambales talaga naging dramatic 'yan eh," DelaTorre explained.
He called for the establishment of the Department of Fishery to address the issues and concerns of the Filipino fishermen. He added that the government must actively protect the fishermen in the country. (PR)