CEBU - If only fishes propagate the way Filipinos do, there’s no need on prohibiting people from eating endangered fish species.
This was the answer of the President’s daughter Evangeline Lourdes “Luli” Arroyo to the question why people should be prohibited from eating endangered fish today instead of just developing a technology that would help in the fast propagation of these species.
“We’re eating fish faster than science develops,” she said.
In a joint meeting of Rotarians recently, Luli discussed to members of different districts of Rotary Club in Cebu the current situation of marine ecosystem inside the famous Coral Triangle of the World.
The Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands form the triangle that is the most biodiverse marine ecosystem where 76 percent of the world’s coral species and 3,000 species of fish can be found.
Luli, in her lecture, stressed the need for a drive against catchers of endangered fish in Philippines seas. She is the policy officer of Coral Triangle Initiative by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Philippines.
CTI was established to support people centered biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, poverty reduction and equitable benefit sharing. In the Philippines, it seeks to maximize citizen’s use of marine resources limiting foreign consumption.
Luli said lack of awareness leads to unsustainable fishing practices such as overexploitation of limited resources and dynamite fishing among others.
CTI focus on saving the corals, turtles, fish and their food which are threatened by habitat destruction, destructive fishing and over fishing.
“We really have to work together,” Luli said.
Luli also condemned restaurants which serve endangered species of fish like the Mameng (Napoleon Wrasse) which is usually found in Tawi-Tawi.
Luli said they once caught Chinese traders shipping endangered Mamengs which are served in Chinese restaurants. — Jessica Ann Pareja/BRP (THE FREEMAN)