IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY—The province of Zamboanga Sibugay has two bays, the Domaquelas Bay and Sibuguey Bay.

Domaquelas Bay and Sibuguey Bay were once abundant with different kinds of coral fish, mud fish, and mangrove fish.

In here, about 40,000 small–scale fisherfolks depend their livelihood—from open sea fishing to picking shells near the shoreline.

Because of the abundant fish and the wide fishing ground at these bays, commercial fishers were encouraged to venture to these bays. Most of these commercial fishers are from other places such as Manila and Zamboanga City and owned by rich business people and people with positions in the government.

These commercial fishers practice destructive means of fishing such as the use of super light and baby trawl.

According to the small–scale fisherfolks, since the entry of the commercial fishers, using destructive means of fishing, about 70% of their income has been lost. They said they have been catching fewer fish nowadays—a result of destructive fishing.

Because of this situation, on May 21, 2007, the Social Action Ministry–Ipil Prelature called for a meeting. This meeting was attended by representatives from the local government units, law enforcers, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and fisherfolks.

On the said meeting, the small–scale fisherfolks presented their situation, their problem: the dwindling fish catch because of the use of destructive fishing. They added that pirates extort money from them.

After the presentation of the small–scale fisherfolks of their situation, representatives of the local government units responded that there are laws and ordinances but all these lack teeth when it comes to implementation. They said that there is a national law, the Fisheries Code, but this law needs to be adopted by the respective municipal and provincial local government units.

During the said meeting, one of recommendations was for the provincial legislative body, together with the municipal legislatives bodies to come up with a unified ordinance, this, in order to give teeth to the national law, the Fisheries Code. This recommendation was accepted by the representatives of the local government units who attended the meeting.

On October 15, 2007, the local government unit of the province of Sibugay conducted a consultation with the fisherfolks and representatives of the municipal local government units. During this consultation, a unified ordinance was drafted.

Between November–December 2007, public hearings were conducted in coastal municipalities.

Last January 2008, the provincial legislative body approved the unified ordinance aimed at curbing destructive fishing in the province of Sibugay.

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