MANILA, Philippines – Local fish catch in the first two quarters of 2023 may dwindle as many fisherfolk have yet to resume fishing following the oil spill in Mindoro, according to fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).
In a statement, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said (translated from Filipino), “Fish production is expected to decline this quarter and in the succeeding quarters if many will be unable to resume fishing due to the continuous spread of oil in the sea.” “It has already spread to Palawan, which has a significant number of fishers and contribution to the country’s fish output,” added Hicap.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) earlier said 13,000 fisherfolk families have been affected by the oil spill triggered by tanker MT Princess Empress that sank off the town of Naujan.
Pamalakaya also said more than 1,200 fishers in Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique have not been fishing for more than a week due to the incident.
BFAR set aside about P4 million in financial assistance, particularly immediate and alternative livelihood assistance, to affected fisherfolk.
Among the intervention programs to be provided are postharvest training and equipment, including 10 units of smokehouses for fish processing. Raw materials will be sourced from Occidental Mindoro and other nearby areas not affected by the oil spill.
Pamalakaya had warned that exposure to oil could adversely affect or kill fish and shellfish species, and subsequently affect the catch of fisherfolk.
The group said the government should have a contingency plan for any potential ecological disaster caused by the fish kill that in turn could affect fish supply and local prices.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that fisheries output had reached 4.33 million metric tons (MT) in 2022, an increase of 2.2 percent from 4.24 million MT in the year prior.
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao accounted for 30.4 percent of the total with 1.3-million MT output, followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 12.2 percent or 529,070 MT and Southwestern Tagalog Region with 8.8 percent or 380,870 MT.
PSA data also showed that Palawan and Oriental Mindoro had contributed 86.79 percent and 2.57 percent to regional fisheries production in the second quarter of 2022. Collectively, their production hit 59,895.53 MT.
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