Atienza directs LLDA to start dismantling illegal fishpens

The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has been ordered by Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Jose L. Atienza to start dismantling on Wednesday, April 23, the  illegal fishpens in Laguna de Bay.

According to Atienza, “demolish the fishpens or allow the lake to perish. These are the only choices left to us to save Laguna de Bay.”

Thus, Atienza said, “our choice is clear. We must save the lake. The fishpens must go.”

Atienza pointed out that fishpens already occupy more than one-half of the 90,000-hectare lake.

“The fishpens are already choking the lake to death. They obstruct the flow of water and block the passageways of small fishermen. Worse, the chemical content of the feeds being fed to the fishes being raised there has considerably polluted its waters,” Atienza said.

LLDA general manager Edgardo Manda said that fishpen demolition would be carried out on April 23 by a multi agency task force.

The demolition team, Manda said, would be composed of personnel from the LLDA, DENR, Public Works and Highways and Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Committee.

The Philippine National Police would provide security.

Atienza said that since the LLDA played a key role in the proliferation of fishpens in Laguna Lake, the agency should now  assume the principal role in the clean up.

The DENR chief said clearing Laguna Lake of fishpens is one of the concrete steps in reforming the functions and operations of the LLDA.

Atienza noted that the agency doesn’t have a regular budget allocation and finances its operations, like meeting its payroll, with payments made by lake users and fines derived from violators.

“Such an arrangement is very ironic because the viability of the lake” guardian depends on the volume of activities it can generate and these activities could be harmful to the body of water which the agency is supposed to protect,” Atienza said.

Atienza said he had met with Manda several times and they both agreed to undertake reforms in administering the LLDA.

Clearing the lake of illegal fish pens and fish cages is one of those agreements.

They have also agreed to prod local government units (LGUs) of municipalities surrounding the lake to strictly implement the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act to end the illegal dumping of domestic wastes to the lake.

Atienza added that the demolition of fishpens in Laguna Lake is one of the country’s contributions to the worldwide celebration of Earth Day whose observance on April 22 is to heighten public awareness and spur action on the protection of the environment.