By EUGENE ADIONG
BACOLOD City — Many fishermen in the 5th District may lose their livelihood once the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) strictly implements the Philippine Fisheries Code there.
The Department of Agriculture, through BFAR, banned the use of illegal fishing gears, including Danish seine or modified Danish seine.
It gave fishing boat operators and fishers six months to change their gears into prescribed ones, and the deadline was on April 15, said 5th District Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Len Gatuslao.
Many fishermen in the district failed to comply with the department’s order because shifting into prescribed fishing gears is costly, Gatuslao said.
He said this may lead to the loss of livelihood of 2,000 fishermen in Hinigaran town alone.
Gatuslao said they will seek the help of Lower House representatives for the provision of financial assistance to the fishers.
He said they have already aired their concern to Cebu 4th District Rep. Benhur Salimbangon, chair of the House committee on fisheries and aquaculture.
Negros Occidental representatives Alejandro Mirasol of the 5th District and Mercedes Alvarez of the 6th District promised to support them, said the Board member.
The Sangguniang Bayan of Hinigaran and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan have passed separate resolutions asking the Agriculture department to give financial assistance to the affected fishermen./PN
