Ma urges dynamite-free fishing after diver son’s death from blast

A grieving mother has launched an online petition urging public markets to declare that the seafood they are selling are caught without the use of explosives after her diver son died last month in a dynamite blast.

Lorna Coyoca of Cebu took to change.org to appeal to public markets in Cebu and Metro Manila to implement policies that would ensure “dynamite-free” fish products.

Coyoca said her son Bangyaw, a professional diver and instructor, was found dead on the shore of Daanbantayan, Cebu, in September.

“Nagda-dive siya nang masabugan ng dinamitang itinapon sa dagat para mangisda. ‘Di ko na alam kung anong mas sasakit pa doon. At di ko kailanman kayang intindihin kung bakit sa ganitong paraan siya ipagkakait sa amin,” Coyoca said in her petition.

Lamenting the “ruthless industry” of dynamite fishing, Coyoca said she vowed to do something about continuous widespread and aggressive fishing practices to make sense of and give meaning to the death of her son.

“Sa aking kaunting pagtatanong, nalaman kong walang pamantayan ang mga palengke sa ating bansa para siguruhin ito. Kaya sa ngalan ng aking anak, hinahamon ko ang mga pinakamalaking palengke ng Cebu at Metro Manila na ideklarang dynamite-free ang mga isdang binebenta nila,” Coyoca said.

“Kailangang maglagay ng polisiya ang mga palengke na magseseguro na hindi sila nagbebenta ng mga isda na huli sa dinamita at magtalaga ang mga ito ng mga fish technician na mai-inspect 24 oras ang mga isdang pumapasok sa kanila,” she added.

Coyoca also urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to implement certification policies requiring markets and their suppliers to declare that they obtained their fish products in a clean and safe manner.

“Hangga’t hindi tayo magtanong sa ating mga palengke at suki, parang pinapayagan na rin nating magpatuloy ang marahas na paraan ng paghuli ng isda. Alam ko ito. Dahil sa tuwing ipipikit ko ang aking mga mata gabi-gabi, nakikita ko ang mga itim at sirang koral, duguang isda lumulutang kasama ng aking anak sa karagatan,” she said.

As of writing, Coyoca’s online petition has garnered 5,593 supporters, 1,907 short of her targeted 7,500 signatures. Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RC