Environmentalist cites need to protect our seas

Each time we go diving and see the marvel of our oceans we cannot help but wonder why our country is so poor and poverty is on the rise. Oceans make up 71 percent of the earth. Oceans are home to over 97 percent of all life forms.

Our country has a coastline larger than the US. Our coral reefs and marine species are said to be more diverse than the great barrier reef in Australia. In the last 50 years, 9/10ths of the world fisheries have been depleted. Our people rely on the oceans for their food and livelihood. Coastal communities, fisherfolks and the Filipino people rely on our seas.

We are still destroying our coral reefs by antiquated fishing methods like blast fishing kakakas, Moro-ami and trawl fishing, we have PD 1219 banning the harvesting of coral reefs (a food chain) under appendix 2 of the CITES convention. It was also amended in the Black Bass and Lacey Acts in 1982 making it banned for export to the US. Now the marine environment has been made into a farm under the DA-Department of Agriculture. The oceans can feed us and is alive. The DENR must protect the marine resources and DAO 17 must be under their control.

We appeal to government, our leaders to protect and conserve our marine resources and put DAO 17 under the DENR.

We do not need to farm the sea with invasive aquaculture, the sea’s bounty is rich enough to feed us all if we protect her. Protect our seas and oceans.