Yamsuan: Changes in fishing rules must prioritize small fisherfolk too

MANILA, Philippines — With groups calling for the reversal of a Supreme Court (SC) ruling that granted fishing companies access to municipal waters, Bicol Saro party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan has stressed that any changes must both prioritize the welfare of fisherfolk and national food security.

Yamsuan in a statement on Monday said he met with key officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), to discuss possible bills that would ensure the protection of small fisherfolk.

BFAR recently came out with a statement of their own, saying that they are pushing for the reversal of the SC decision that allowed commercial fishing in municipal waters, as it has impacted the livelihood of small fisherfolk, and the amount of marine resources available.

READ: BFAR appeals SC ruling allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters

Under the SC decision, commercial fishing vessels were allowed to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal water zone.

READ: Petition filed vs SC ruling on big-scale fishing in town waters

“Our primary concerns here are the livelihood and welfare of our 2.5 million small-scale fisherfolk and our food security. We need to make sure that the impact of every decision made would not imperil efforts to boost our food security and endanger the sustainability of our marine resources,” Yamsuan, chairperson of the House of Representatives’ committee on aquaculture and fisheries resources, said.

“Kailangan din natin mapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng ating mga maliliit na mangingisda na nanatiling pinakamahirap na sektor sa ating bansa. Our actions should improve their welfare, not drive them deeper into poverty,” he added.

(We also need to take care of our small fisherfolk’s welfare, who remain to be among the poorest sectors in the country. Our actions should improve their welfare, not drive them deeper into poverty.)

Yamsuan said he called for the meeting with BFAR after several fishers’ organizations, local government units, and civil society groups appealed for the reversal of the SC decision.

Last January 2, fisherfolk and activists from civil society groups like Oceana Philippines and the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice submitted a petition to SC contesting its decision as it supposedly has a detrimental impact on the environment too.

The SC decision stemmed from a case involving the Mercidar Fishing Corp. petition on the issue. The Malabon Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of Mercidar, while the SC upheld the lower court’s ruling.

According to Yamsuan, BFAR officer-in-charge Director Isidro Velayo Jr. said that the agency has been coordinating with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) about seeking a reversal of the SC ruling—noting that the decision is not yet final.

The lawmaker said that the SC decision could have “far-reaching negative consequences” for the continuing decline of fish caught over the country’s seas.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, shared by Yamsuan, showed that the Philippines produced 1.02 million metric tons (MT) of fish in the second quarter of 2024—down by 6.2 percent from the 1.07 million MT from the same period in 2023.

“Filipinos rely heavily on fish and other seafood as their primary source of protein, which is why we should remain vigilant in safeguarding and conserving our fisheries and aquatic resources,” he said.