The recent Supreme Court ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels within the 15-kilometer municipal waters is a serious concern for local government, fisherfolk, and coastal communities, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
This decision threatens livelihoods, marine biodiversity, and decades of efforts in sustainable fisheries management, Lacson said in a statement posted last night, Feb. 20, by the Provincial Environment Management Office.
“The Provincial Government of Negros Occidental, together with our coastal local government units and partner organizations, stands in solidarity with the more than two million small-scale fishers in the Philippines in ensuring that municipal waters remain dedicated to their needs,” he stressed.
“We call upon our national leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders to support our advocacy for ‘safeguarding municipal waters for small-scale fishers’,” Lacson said.
“Let us work together in strengthening fisheries management policies, enhancing enforcement mechanisms, and promoting equitable and sustainable development for our coastal communities,” he added.
Lacson stressed the importance of “upholding preferential rights to municipal waters, allowing them (small-scale fishers) to sustain their livelihoods while contributing to the nation’s food security”. ||
