Bohol fishermen stage fish ‘holiday’

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — At least 400 fishing vessel owners and operators of Bohol yesterday moored their boats at the causeway, between this city and Panglao Island, as they staged a strike, known as “fish holiday,” crippling business in the city markets with no fish being sold to the public.

The fishermen, belonging to the Bisayas Alliance of Fisherfolk Operators Reform (BAPOR), an affiliate of the Alyansa ng Mangingisda ng Pilipinas, have demanded for the scrapping of Republic Act 10654 (An Act To Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing), amending Republic Act 8550, or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

BAPOR president Kenneth Abuyabor, said law prevented them from fishing within the 15-kilometer municipal water from the shoreline. Another fishing operator told The Freeman the law is like a “no entry” for fishing vessels, leaving them with no fish to catch.

Placards of the strikers were all over the markets, mounted on the docked fishing boats at the causeway. One placard declared: “Republic Act 10654 Corruption” with red and bold “PNoy” marking painted across it.

Another stated: “Gobernador sa Bohol hinaot imong hatagan og action ang mga yangu-ngo sa mga mananagat tungod sa Republic Act 10654.”

Other streamers, hanged on boats, said: “Republic Act 10654 dugang problema sa mga mangingisda, maong ato kining ibasura,,” and “Republic Act 10654 usa ka dakong hilo sa mga mananagat.”

BAPOR also scored on the law’s high imposition of penalties, such as the P2,500 per person of the violating vessel. “This is very exorbitant,” said the group.

Another provision BAPOR wanted scrapped was the required mounting of a vessel monitoring system (VMS) in every vessel, which the group described as very expensive, as it costs P200,000 each with additional fee for the use of a satellite for the system.

The two-day stoppage of catching and trading fish and sea products carried a permit from the city government issued to BAPOR. It caught buyers and consumers by surprise. A fish vendor said he was unaware of the holiday, but he decided to go back and wait until the strike was over.

In some wet markets of the city, milkfish (bangus) was the only fish sold by some vendors who wanted to earn their daily living.

Abuyabor apologized to the buying public, saying the protest action was only temporary and that they will be back to sell fish in the market by today.

The controversial law, a consolidation of Senate Bill 2414 and House Bill 4536, passed on December 1, 2014, was signed by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon. It was enacted when it “lapsed into law on February 27, 2015, even without the signature of President Benigno Aquino III.  (FREEMAN)