Stakeholders urged to attend public hearing

REPRESENTATIVES of commercial fishing companies, small fishermen and other fishing industry stakeholders are expected to attend the public hearing on proposed bill creating the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and issues about commercial fishing on July 14 at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.

Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu 4th district), chairman of the House committee on fisheries and aquatic resources, said the public hearing would start at 9 a.m. until the afternoon.

Aside from discussing the bill, Salimbangon said the proposed amendment of the Fisheries Laws including the size and capacity of a fishing boat, that could be classified as commercial fishing, would also be tackled.

He said that the committee wanted to get a clear definition of what illegal fishing and what fishing gears should constitute illegal fishing.

He said that Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, one of the sponsors of the bill, was also expected to attend the public hearing.

Salimbangon said the committee chose Cebu as the venue for the public hearing because Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia had been actively campaigning against illegal fishing in the province.

Other stakeholders like the the Philippine Coast Guard, Maritime Industry Authority and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were also expected to attend the hearing. /Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan