NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – A controversial Supreme Court ruling is threatening the livelihoods of hundreds of small-scale fishing associations in Negros Occidental, opening the door for commercial fishing operations to encroach on waters once reserved for municipal fishers.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson warned that the late 2024 decision, which stripped away the 15-kilometer municipal water boundary, would hurt at least 472 fishing associations across 25 coastal cities and municipalities in his province alone.
He said the ruling exposes two million small-scale fishers across 45,000 marginalized communities throughout the country to competition from large-scale commercial fleets. The waters closest to the shorelines, once the main source for subsistence fishers, are now up for grabs.
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Local officials voiced concerns that the SC decision could also jeopardize marine biodiversity and years of sustainable fisheries efforts.
“We call on all stakeholders – government agencies, academe, civil society, and the public – to stand with us in safeguarding the welfare of our artisanal fishers and ensuring the sustainability of our coastal and marine ecosystems,” Lacson said.
EB Magalona town Mayor Marvin Malacon told Rappler he respects the 2024 ruling but lamented its impact on small-scale fishers, particularly in the town’s coastal villages.
“This news is sad for us. Many of our constituents in nine of our coastal villages will definitely be affected by this ruling. More so with our people in Barangay Tomongtong, our town’s ‘crab village.’ But we do not have a choice. We cannot contest SC,” he said.
Tomongtong’s blue crab industry contributes more than 70% of Negros Occidental’s estimated P2 billion crab industry, earning EB Magalona the moniker “blue crab capital” of the province.
Malacon said the town government was left to seek alternative livelihood programs for affected fishers and crab catchers.
“It’s tedious on our part but, again, we have no choice but to accept our fate, and move on,” he said, adding that they would need to handle the crisis.
The small village of Tomongtong, home to fewer than a thousand residents, is a major producer of blue crabs. During the peak season, from July to October, production surges as crabs wash up along the coastline.
Known for its 20-hectare mangrove forest, Tomongtong has become a food tourism destination, attracting visitors eager to sample its famed blue crabs.
The village also hosts two crab-picking stations, employing women who process the catch before it is sent to Cebu for canning and export to the United States and Europe.
Malacon said the local government would extend assistance to affected sectors, acknowledging the challenge of ensuring sustainable livelihoods. – Rappler.com