ILOILO – A provincial ordinance assigns colors and numbers to fishing vessels operating in coastal towns to let enforcers easily identify boats operated by the local fisherfolk and better protect municipal waters from poachers.
Ultimately Provincial Ordinance 2017-151 aims to ensure that resources from the municipal waters in this province are “for the exclusive use and enjoyment of Ilonggos.”
Also called “an Ordinance prescribing the color-coding and numbering of fishing vessels in the coastal municipalities of the province of Iloilo,” the measure was sponsored by Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Marcelo Valentin Serag, chairman of the committee on agriculture.
The Provincial Board approved it during their regular session on Dec. 4.
“Ang pinaka-main purpose sang ordinance is to identify sang mga sakayang pandagat nga nagapangisda sa kada municipality,” Serag said.
Serag believes the color-coding and numbering will enable local government units determine whether or not those fishing in their municipal waters are the local fisherfolk.
Moreover, these labels will also help the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat in better protecting coastal waters from illegal fishing, he said.
The coastal towns themselves determined the colors of their fishing vessels.
Under the ordinance, colors of the fishing vessels in the coastal towns are as follows:
1ST DISTRICT
* San Joaquin – neon green
* Miagao – red
* Guimbal – yellow gold
* Tigbauan – orange
* Oton – neon yellow
2ND DISTRICT
* Leganes – dark blue
* Zarraga – orange
4TH DISTRICT
* Dumangas – bright green
* Barotac Nuevo – aqua blue
* Anilao – gold
* Banate – brown
5TH DISTRICT
* Barotac Viejo – yellow
* Ajuy – green
* Concepcion – light blue
* San Dionisio – red
* Batad – neon violet
* Estancia – dark blue
* Balasan – yellow green
* Carles – orange
Provincial Ordinance 2017-151 has the following objectives:
* To achieve food security as the overriding consideration in the utilization, management, development, conservation, and protection of fishery resources to provide the food needs of the Ilonggos
* To limit access to the fishery and aquatic resources of the municipal waters within territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Iloilo for the exclusive use and enjoyment of Ilonggos
* To ensure the conservation, protection and sustained management of the municipal fishery and aquatic resources within the territorial jurisdiction of the Province of Iloilo
The local government units themselves were tasked to enforce the ordinance.
Fishing vessel owners or operators who will violate the ordinance will not be issued permits from their local government.
The ordinance takes effect once signed by Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and published in a local newspaper./PN
