Group opposes lowering tariff on imported fish

FILE PHOTO: A group of fishermen from Subic town in Zambales province prepares their provisions for a trip to Panatag Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the West Philippine Sea that is being claimed by China. ALLAN MACATUNO

MANILA, Philippines — An organization assisting peasants is opposing the imposition of lower tariff on imported fish, noting that this could lead to higher fish import volume which could threaten the livelihood of local fishermen.

“Sa taripa, dagdag na problema ‘yan, kumbaga kung ikumpara mo ‘yung nangyari nung mga angal ng magsasaka sa pag-angkat ng bigas. Hindi lamang ‘yung taripa, ‘yung volume, ‘yung kung gaano karami,” Edicio Dela Torre, president of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM) said in a statement.

(On tariff, that is an additional problem, it’s the same as what happened when the farmers complained about the importation of rice. It’s not just the tariff, it’s also the volume.)

“Bakit doble ang inaangkat, na lampas-lampas sa mismong datos ng gobyernong kailangan?” he added.

(Why is the volume of imports double, that is way beyond the actual data of government requirement?)

Dela Torre then pointed out the major problem of local fisherfolk:  the overfishing of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) while local fishermen catch fewer fish.

“Ang problema humihina na ang huli. Ang isda naman hindi naman nagre-rcognize ‘yan ng boundary. ‘Pag nahuli ang marami ng malalaking Chinese vessels, humihina na rin ang makukuha [ng mga mangingisda] sa ating municipal waters,” he said.

(The problem is fish catch has been dwindling. Fishes cannot recognize a boundary. When many fish are caught by large Chinese vessels, fish catch also declines in our municipal waters.)

While Filipino fishermen are not prohibited from fishing in the WPS, Chinese commercial fishing boats have been “fishing aggressively” there and have been harassing local fishers, according to Dela Torre.

“Malaki naman ang West Philippine Sea na tumingkad na lamang dahil nga sa kilos ng China na hinaharass ang mga mangingisda sa bandang Zambales coast. Ang West Philippine Sea, meron din sa Palawan, pero dito sa Zambales talaga naging dramatic ‘yan eh,” Dela Torre said.

(The West Philippine Sea is big, but has become more prominent because of China’s act of harassment on Filipino fishermen along the Zambales coast. The West Philippine Sea includes Palawan, but here in Zambales is where it really became dramatic.)

“Ang mas mabigat, nauubos ‘yung mga isda. Grabe mag-fishing ang Chinese commercial fishing boats,” he added.

(The hardest part is that the fish stock is being depleted. Chinese commercial fishing boats fish too much.)

Dela Torre then called for the establishment of a new agency addressing the issues of Filipino fishermen – the Department of Fishery, adding that the government should actively protect local fishermen.

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