QUEZON FISHERMEN MOVE TO SAVE LAMON BAY

Atimonan, Quezon, March 17, 2003 -- Fisherfolk here and other affected towns are greatly worried about the fast deterioration of and depletion of fish in Lamon Bay, the main source of marine products for this and the towns of Plaridel, Lopez, Gumaca, Lopez, Alabat, Perez and Quezon.

Last Friday this town hosted the launching of "Sagip Lamon Bay Project" to dramatize the fishermen's concern.

Delegations of fishermen from the eight coastal towns expressed satisfaction with the launching of the Lamon Bay Integrated Coastal Resource Management, which is being pushed jointly by the nongovernment organizations World Vision Development Foundation and Patnubay Development Project Inc.

They expressed hope to see the end of illegal commercial fishing using destructive fishing methods in the bay with the launching of the project.

Leaders of Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (MFARMC) hailed the project and signed their pledge of commitment "to nurture and safeguard Lamon Bay." The signing was considered the highlight of the program.

Leading signatories included former Quezon congressman Oscar Santos, board of trustee of Tanggol Kalikasan; Atimonan Mayor Florante Beranga; Quezon Mayor Magsaysay Oliveros; several municipal councilors of the eight towns; representatives of the two nongovernment groups; and civic organizations.

"Kung maaalis lamang ang big commercial fishing sa mga municipal waters ng Lamon Bay ay di na kami lalayo sa aming pangingisda at mabubuhay na kami [If the authorities can ban big commercial fishing in the waters of Lamon Bay, we will not stray far from the bay to fish because we can live sufficiently here]," said Ramon Grimaldo, president of MFARMC of this town.

Grimaldo, who has been a fisherman since he was 17, said that because of commercial fishing using buli-buli and trawl, small fishermen here are forced to fish in the far seas of Jomalig, Patnanungan and Balesin Island. He said they used to catch 10 kilos of fish in just a half day of fishing in their municipal waters but that now they are lucky if they go home with three kilos.

Alabat municipal councilor Ramon Arceo Polo, chairman of the fishery and aquatic resources committee in the council, said that illegal fishermen in their coastal barangays mostly come from other towns such as Atimonan and Plaridel.

"Yung mga commercial fishermen na nahuhuli sa amin ay nakikiusap sa mayor at kadalasan sila'y napagbibigyan [Commercial fishermen who are caught here appeal to the mayor and more often than not they're accommodated]," Polo told Today.

Alabat and Atimonan share only 14 kilometers of coastal waters such that there will really be no place for commercial fishing in both towns if the 15-kilometer radius policy for municipal waters is strictly enforced as provided for by the Fisheries Code, or Republic Act 8550.

Santos appealed to Gov. Wilfrido Enverga, who was expected to grace the event but only sent his representative, to extend his all-out support for the protection and preservation of Lamon Bay, stressing that the project "is beyond politics."

Thirty-four out of 41 towns in Quezon province are considered coastal, and a research study revealed that fishing grounds in the province such as Lamon Bay, Ragay Gulf and Tayabas Bay are now "overfished."

In 1995 Santos said the province earned P4.8 billion in fish catch that reached 219 metric tons. In 1999 the volume of fish catch went down to 143 metric tons. It further sank to 116 metric tons in 2001.

Santos also cited the fast disappearance of mangrove areas in the province. From 14,940 hectares in 1969, the area has shrunk to just 923 hectares today.

Experts say that a hectare of mangroves can provide about 12.5 tons of marine resources such as faunal fishes, crustaceans, mollusks and shells.

Thus, the loss of mangroves in Quezon has resulted in the loss of 175,212 metric tons of marine resources annually. (By JOHN BELLO, TODAY Correspondent )