MANILA, Philippines—Illegal fishpens and fish cages off Talim Island, Binangonan in Rizal province were demolished Friday to get rid of obstruction in the navigational lanes, said Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) General Manager Edgardo Manda.

In a press statement, Manda said “these illegal structures also add to the poor current flow of the lake which decreases the lake’s natural ability to self-cleanse.”

Five big fishpens and cages have been demolished, said LLDA information officer Gerry Carandang in a phone interview. Some owners have started to dismantle their fishpens and cages upon seeing that the LLDA-led demolition has begun.

“Operators wanted to save their investments so some of them complied,” he added.

The LLDA said 90 illegal fish structures encroaching on 160 hectares of the lake will be torn down.

Last month, eight fishpen owners impinging on 30 hectares of the lake voluntarily demolished their fish structures to recoup their investments.

In April, 74 structures illegally occupying 20 hectares were also demolished.

The LLDA said they have discovered that these fishpens and cages were illegally occupying and obstructing the navigational lanes, so as early as May this year, these structures were marked for demolition, giving owners ample time to voluntarily remove the structures.

Local barangay officials owned most of the illegal fishpens and cages, according to LLDA.

LLDA allots 10 percent of the 90,000-hectare lake to commercial fish structures. As of December 2007, some 20,000 hectares were occupied by fishpens and cages.

Half of these structures are illegal and should be cleared, Manda said.

Carandang added that they were targeting to clear the lake of at least 20 percent of the fishpens and cages. Niña Catherine Calleja, Inquirer Southern Luzon