VARIOUS stakeholders in Tañon Strait vowed to strengthen collaboration to combat illegal fishing and protect one of the country’s important fishing grounds in the Visayas.
The Tañon Strait is an important fishing ground down south. About 288,000 small-scale fishers rely on the bounty of Tañon, which is part of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).
The area is supposed to be exclusive fishing grounds for municipal fishers, but the competition from commercial fishers who illegally enter the strait, plus destructive fishing methods used by small-scale fishers, have led to an overall decline in productivity, said Oceana Philippines, a conservation and advocacy group.
In a joint statement, Oceana said that from an average of 5 kilos of fish per trip, yields have plummeted to 2 kilos—and many fishing households earn less than P100 daily, prompting various stakeholders to come together to put in place a management framework to sustainably manage their coastal and marine resources.
“Tañon Strait is an important traditional source of fish for millions of Filipinos. Doing the right thing for Tañon paves the way for the sustainable use and management of our fisheries to address food security concerns,” Oceana Philippines Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said.
“No Filipino should go hungry in this native land. I believe we can achieve this if we protect our coastal and marine resources,” Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon said.
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