ANTIQUE – Fishing activities are now allowed in oil spill-affected areas in Caluya town.
Mayor Rigil Kent Lim issued Executive Order No. 26, Series of 2023 on Wednesday, April 12, lifting the suspension of ishing activities within the vicinity of Semirara, Nagubat and Liwagao islands.
On Feb. 8, MT Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, capsized in the waters of Oriental Mindoro, causing an oil spill that reached Antique.
On March 2, Lim suspended fishing activities within the vicinity of Sitio Sabang and Sitio Tambak in Semirara Island, Nagubat Island, and Liwagao Island “to provide protection and safety of the fisherfolk and those who are adversely affected by the oil spill,”
The Unified Command Team and various national agencies, partners and experts advised that fishing is now safe in the deep areas of municipal waters, considering that no oil sheen was observed.
Lim’s recent order stated that “after a series of responses on mitigating the spread of oil spill in the areas of Sitio Liwagao, Sitio Toong, and Sigayan of Barangay Semirara and Sitio Sabang of Barangay Tinogboc, the areas are considered manageable and controllable for a possible wide-spread of an oil spill.”
For the town mayor, “fisherfolk and shell collectors are seriously affected in terms of their daily sustenance and living, and it is high time to restore their living conditions, being predominantly dependent on fishing as their source of income.”
The lifting of the suspension on all fishing activities also came with the following regulations to be strictly observed:
* No fishing or collecting of shells shall be done in the shoreline and shallow areas of Sitio Sabang, Toong, Sigayan, and Sitio Liwagao.
* Fish catch shall be reported to the barangay using the form on the record of fish catch issued by the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist.
* The barangay shall closely monitor the fishing activities of its residents in coordination and collaboration with their respective associations.
* If contamination exists on fish catches, fishing activities shall be temporarily canceled until such time that the areas identified are declared safe for fishing.
Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 6 data showed 7,195 families or 27,145 persons from four barangays affected by the oil spill:
* Barangay Alegria – 901 families, or 3,713 persons
* Barangay Sibolo – 424 families, or 1,660 persons
* Barangay Semirara – 4,934 families, or 18,167 persons
* Barangay Tinogboc – 937 families, or 3,605 persons/PN
