Public’s little help can Help sustain fisheries
IT is these little things that will matter in the long run.
This was the gist of the statement issued by Bohol’s prime Environment and Natural Resources Officer to the
public during the recent Kapihan sa PIA which was aired live over DyTR.
At the weekly forum held at the PIA at K of C Drive this city, PENRO Nestor Canda who spoke on the national
celebration of the Fisheries Conservation Week October 8-15, said that simple planting and protecting or
conserving mangroves, seagrass beds and corals would go a long way to ensure breeding and spawning
grounds for fish and other marine resources.
Even texting authorities about an illegal fishing activity would be a big help, he said.
Local police authorities has appointed a regular text and call hotline for such instances of the public seeing
the commission of a criminal activity. Hotline 0917-305-1833 or 0912-808-9279 is manned 24 hours, 7 days
a week, said PSSupt Constantino Barot during the hotline numbers launching held a couple of weeks earlier.
The national celebration comes at the time when authorities in Bohol meet with fishery stakeholders to discuss
mitigation schemes on the high market price for fish.
Capitol has created a technical working group to look into the matter and hopes to bring down the market
price of fish. It has also strengthened its coastal law enforcement assets to aggressively implement coastal
laws.
Marginal fishers here also air the problem of dwindling fish catch, and alleged that the intrusion of commercial
fishing into the municipal waters had dealt harsh issues to coastal communities dependent on small time
fisheries.
Tackling up “Asenso sa pangisdaan, makamit sa sama-samang pagtutulungan,” Canda said while
the government is addressing issues within its powers, communities can pitch in and show vigilance.
Local fishery officials still agree that despite very strict implementation of coastal resource management laws
by the Coastal Law Enforcement Councils, some still manage to poach areas and revert to destructive fishing
for quick results.
These marine protected areas should be managed well by communities and operated like a bank, Canda said.
In banks, ideally, we do not withdraw the principal amount deposited, we only get the interest, he said as
he urged communities to harvest only those fish that stray out of the marine sanctuaries to assure continued
supply of fish. (racPIABohol)
