Groups rally against SC decision allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters, citing threat to small-scale fishermen and overfishing.
Fisherfolk and civil society groups rallied outside the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Department of Agriculture offices urging them to uphold their mandate and protect the social justice provisions of the Philippine Constitution and the Fisheries Code, as amended. These provisions grant preferential access to municipal and artisanal fisherfolk in the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
This particular provision is at the center of a controversial Supreme Court (SC) ruling that lifted the exclusivity of municipal waters to small fishermen. Small fishermen argue that allowing commercial fishers will lead to their demise and overfishing. Municipal governments have joined fisherfolk, civil society representatives, and environmental groups led by the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice and Oceana in asking the SC to reverse its resolution. In a 28-page petition-in-intervention, the Municipality of Santa Fe, along with other petitioners, urged the SC to allow them to intervene in the case of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), et al v. Mercidar Fishing Corporation. They argue that they will be adversely affected by the Court's August 2024 ruling. Mayor Alfredo M. Coro II of the Municipality of Del Carmen in Siargao Islands also called on the national government and the SC to recognize the preferential rights of municipal fisherfolk to the 15-km municipal waters and the continued regulation of commercial fishing operations within these waters. In the August 2024 ruling, the High Court's First Division denied the petition filed by the Department of Agriculture-BFAR (DA-BFAR) seeking to overturn the order of the Malabon Regional Trial Court in December 2023 allowing Mercidar to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal waters except for shallow waters
FISHING RIGHTS MUNICIPAL WATERS COMMERCIAL FISHING OVERFISHING SUPREME COURT
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Individual Money Lenders Dominate as Credit Source for Filipino Farmers and FisherfolkA recent census conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority revealed that individual money lenders are the primary source of financial credit for farmers and fisherfolk in the Philippines.
Read more »
LIST: Richest Philippine cities, municipalities, provinces in 2023Quezon City remains the wealthiest city, while Cebu is the wealthiest province
Read more »
5 lungsod misaka ngadto sa 1st class municipalitiesSunStar Publishing Inc.
Read more »
DOF reclassifies multiple cities, municipalities in Cavite provinceTHE Department of Finance (DOF) has reclassified Cavite’s smallest town of Noveleta, along with the municipalities of Amadeo, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo,
Read more »
Filipino Family Conquers All 179 Hokkaido MunicipalitiesA Filipino family achieved the remarkable feat of visiting every single municipality in Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost prefecture. Their journey, fueled by a love for exploration and cultural immersion, involved navigating language barriers, inclement weather, and family commitments.
Read more »
BARMM Loses NTA Shares as New Municipalities, Barangays Impact AllocationThe Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) faced a significant decrease in its National Tax Allotment (NTA) shares for 2025 due to the creation of new municipalities and barangays. The DBM released a memorandum outlining these adjustments, highlighting a 14.36 percent decline for BARMM while other regions experienced varying changes.
Read more »