Taal fish pens find new home in Romblon

SAN PEDRO, Laguna—A number of fish pen operators who suffered huge losses in the massive fish kill that hit Taal Lake two months ago are relocating to Looc Bay in Romblon, the governor of the island-province said.

Gov. Eduardo Firmalo said talks were underway to finalize the relocation of the fish pen operators that would take place before the year ends.

He said at least 12 fish pen owners have confirmed their plans to relocate to Romblon.

“These are businessmen (operating) fish pens in Batangas who lost about P100 million to P150 million from the fish kill,” said Firmalo in a recent phone interview.

He said the traders were invited to the province through their relatives in Romblon.

The fish kill in Batangas that occurred from late May until early June wiped out hundreds of metric tons of fish, mostly milkfish, grown in Taal Lake. Authorities blamed the phenomenon partly to the fish pen structures that overcrowded the freshwater body.

Firmalo said Looc Bay, which is surrounded by villages in the fourth class town of Looc on Tablas Island, would be ideal for fish farms because it is a cove.

“Since it is a cove, the fish pens will be kept safe from storms,” the governor said.

He said taxes from the multi-million-peso fish pen operations would help raise the income of Romblon.

Firmalo said they would also make arrangements to ensure that the fish pen operators would not compete with small and local fishermen, who still use traditional fishing methods.

“Our local fishermen do not use fish pens yet. But the traders, with the help of the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), could teach the fishermen the technology (in order to increase their catch),” he said.

He said small fish vendors, on the other hand, would no longer run out of fish during the lean season because they could get their supply from fish pens.

“Fish vendors will learn to invest rather than just sell fish,” he said, adding that future projects of the provincial government include the installation of storage and fish processing facilities to increase Romblon’s share in the fishing industry.

The Taal fish kill raised questions anew over whether fish pens should be allowed in the country’s lakes.