A group of fishermen urged the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to amend its resolution on the demolition of illegal fish pens to spare small fish traps from its clearing operation in Laguna de Bay.
The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said on
Sunday small fish traps, or baklad, are covered by the LLDA’s Board Resolution 518 approved on February 1.
“Although the government has verbally assured us that small fish cages and baklad will be spared, we can’t stop worrying because the board resolution indicates that all enclosed structures, whether large or small, will be ejected,” Pamalakaya Chairman Fernando L. Hicap said in a statement.
“Pamalakaya also fears that shanties and houses situated on top of the lake will be categorized as ‘other structures’ [under] the resolution,” Hicap added.
The group said the amendment to the LLDA board resolution should specify corporate-owned fish pens measuring 50 hectares and above would be removed from the lake.
The LLDA board resolution was in accordance with President Duterte’s marching orders to dismantle fish pens owned by big fishing corporations and moneyed individuals to grant small fishermen access to their traditional fishing grounds.
However, Pamalakaya said it authorized not only the demolition of large fish pens and fish cages, but also small fish traps.
Environment Secretary Regina Paz L. Lopez has earlier made an assurance that baklads owned by small fishermen will be spared from the clearing operations.
This was also affirmed by Environment Undersecretary Maria Paz G. Luna in a dialogue on February 13. Luna said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will prioritize corporate-owned fish pens.
LLDA resumed the demolition of illegal fish pens on January 25 and 26, off the waters of Cardona, Rizal. The fish pen demolished belonged to Christian Fishing Corp., which failed to comply with LLDA requirements and has been delinquent in payment from 2013 to 2016.
Another operation, led by LLDA General Manager Jaime C. Medina, was conducted on February 14. Medina, a former mayor of Pateros, said the operation is part of the plan to transform Laguna de Bay into a “vibrant economic zone”, and to give small fishermen priority over the lake’s bounty.
He said fish-pen operators have been given until March 31 to harvest their fish stocks and voluntarily demolish their structures. “Otherwise, LLDA will start to demolish these big structures on April 1.”
According to data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, there are 23,678 registered fishermen who regularly catch fish within Laguna de Bay
as of 2016.