Govt teams to dismantle illegal fish cages in Taal

(Updated 10:35 p.m.) Illegal fish cages in Taal, Batangas will be dismantled starting June 15 and the operators will be penalized, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Senate committee on food and agriculture. The DA said up to 1,300 illegal fish cages in Taal Lake will be removed before the year is over. Officials added that the lake should have only 6,000 fish cages. Four teams will be deployed for the dismantling operations, made up of personnel from the DA, Philippine National Police, local government units, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Committee chairman Senator Francis Pangilinan said the operators of the illegal fish cages are liable for the fish kill based on the Clean Water Act and the law on National Integrated Protected Area Systems (NIPAS). The Batangas provincial government, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and DENR will deploy up to five patrol boats to monitor the state of the lake and make sure no new fish cages are put up. Enforce the laws Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala urged the local governments of Batangas and other areas to help enforce the country’s laws by issuing local permits for fish cages. He said there is a master plan for Taal Lake but it does not clearly define the responsibilities of local governments, fish cage operators and fisherfolk. BFAR officials informed the Senate that as of Monday, fish kill damage in Batangas was at P150 million, with the towns of Anda and Bolinao reporting P7 million in damages. However, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said in its Tuesday evening update that ‘validation’ by field offices of BFAR reduced the damage figures to P143.96 million. The DA’s Bureau of Soils and Water Management has, for its part, lent 50 water pumps to help restore water quality in areas affected by fish kill. The BFAR will supply 5,000 fingerlings of maliputo, and ‘bottom feeder’ fish species to help clean the lake water. The bureau will also study the use of water-cleaning biotechnology agents and techniques. BFAR added that it will work with the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority to explore the feasibility of establishing a fish port, cold storage and fish processing facilities in Talisay, Batangas. Meanwhile, at the Kakiputan Channel in Pangasinan province, operations to dismantle fish cages have begun. BFAR officials said it will take time before the illegal fish cages are removed because some of the cages' nets are buried deep under the water. The BFAR said levels of dissolved oxygen in the water should increase to sufficient levels soon after the water flow through the Kakiputan Channel returns to normal.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Oxygen levels rising BFAR said its latest tests of Taal Lake’s water show higher dissolved oxygen content but not yet at normal levels. The water has also become clearer. In the town of Mataas na Kahoy, no more dead fish have floated to the surface. In the municipality of Talisay, BFAR said the bangus in fish cages are becoming more lively again.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Fisheries officials in Batangas have begun preparing for next week’s operations to dismantle illegal fish cages. Fish kill spreads GMA News’ State of the Nation on Wednesday reported that fish kill also struck in waters near Laoag City in Ilocos Norte. Hundreds of dead tilapia, also known as St. Peter’s fish, floated to the water’s surface in a fish pen. The dead tilapia were fished out of the water and then buried in a pit. In another report on State of the Nation, Joseph Morong reported that the fish kill phenomenon has scared away many customers of seafood outlets and restaurants, causing their sales to plunge. These outlets have bangus as their only dish or one of the specialties on their menu
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Store personnel have tried reeling in patrons by assuring them that their bangus come from areas other than Batangas or Pangasinan. Some even displayed tarpaulin streamers stating where their fish come from or explaining that they have other items on their menu aside from bangus and tilapia. But there are still some foodies who really prefer to eat fish than meat and were unaffected by the fish kill scare. They have remained loyal to the seafood outlets they frequent. — Earl Rosero/VS, GMA News