Quezon Governor Angelina “Helen” Tan slammed a Supreme Court (SC) ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels within 15-kilometer municipal waters, citing its detrimental impact on the livelihood of small-scale fishers and the environment.
The petition paper, which was signed Monday, March 10, is expected to be presented to the SC in the coming days.
In a public hearing on Wednesday, March 5, held in the SP office building, Quezonin fisherfolk leaders, civic leaders, and environmental support groups gathered to voice their concerns about the alleged harmful impacts of the decision.
The group said that the Supreme Court's decision is unfair to small-scale fishers and doesn't follow the rules of Republic Act 8550. They said that the decision also breaks Sections 17 and 18 of that law, which say that small-scale fishers have the right to use 15 km of municipal fishing water, and Section 16 says that local governments have control over their municipal waters.
The group also said Quezon waters and fisheries were in danger due to “overfishing and illegal practices.
Meanwhile, in a petition submitted on February 20, the leaders of the fishing communities in Tayabas and Lamon bays, as well as other representatives, also urged Tan to halt the use of modified Danish seine or buli-buli and blast fishing.
These practices are still prevalent in the Tayabas and Lamon bays, as well as the Ragay Gulf, which are the primary sources of food and livelihood for small fishermen in Quezon province and other adjacent provinces.
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