Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines — The Division of Agriculture (DA) has requested the Supreme Court docket (SC) to reverse its resolution permitting industrial fishing vessels to function in municipal waters.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. revealed this throughout a gathering with fisherfolk organizations on Friday.
He mentioned the DA filed a movement for reconsideration by means of the Workplace of Solicitor Common.
Laurel expressed considerations in regards to the resolution’s potential opposed results on the livelihood of small fishers and its influence on marine ecosystems.
“At a depth of seven fathoms, or 12 meters, corals are in danger, and our scarce marine assets may face additional depletion,” he mentioned.
Article continues after this commercial
The SC’s First Division has upheld the Malabon Regional Trial Court docket’s resolution declaring the Fisheries Code’s preferential entry provisions unconstitutional, favoring the petitioner Mercidar Fishing Corp.
Article continues after this commercial
Fishers group Pamalakaya mentioned roughly 90 p.c of each municipal water would “be open for exploitation of big-fishing companies” if industrial fishing vessels have been permitted to function inside the 15-kilometer municipal water zone.
READ: Business fishing in municipal waters will have an effect on small fishers – group
“This implies solely a small portion of municipal waters shall be left for small-scale fishers,” Pamalakaya mentioned in a latest assertion.
