SC ruling on fishing in municipal waters hit

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has been asked to appeal a decision of the Supreme Court (SC) allowing commercial fishing within 15 kilometers of municipal waters.

Ronnel Arambulo, vice chairman of fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. should assert the rights of small fisherfolk and oppose the ruling opening municipal waters to commercial fishing.

Fisherfolk and groups led by Oceana Philippines on Monday criticized concerned government agencies for allegedly failing to assert the rights of small fishers in municipal waters.

Earlier, the high tribunal upheld the ruling of the Malabon Regional Trial Court allowing commercial fishing vessels in municipal waters.

Arambulo said 90 percent of municipal waters would be controlled by commercial fishing vessels if the SC decision is implemented.

He said the ruling would affect over two million registered municipal fisherfolk and a majority of subsistence fishers nationwide.

The Mercidar Fishing Corp. had filed a petition asking the court to declare unconstitutional the preferential access of small fisherfolk to municipal waters.