Jump-off to the WPS, the fishing village of Sisiman. Photo by Ernie Esconde
MARIVELES, Bataan — Fishermen here on Tuesday complained of poor fish catch in the West Philippines Sea, especially outside the Scarborough Shoal, and other fishing grounds in the country.
Bobby Millan, fishing boat Queen Kim Urich crew, claimed that Chinese Coast Guard ships have prohibited them from fishing inside the Scarborough Shoal and allowed to fish only outside the shoal.
“Hindi naman kami binobomba ng tubig tulad ng dati pero sinasabihan lang na bawal mangisda sa loob ng shoal,” the fisherman said.
The fisherman complained of poor catch outside the shoal because of alleged proliferation of Chinese fishermen in the area.
“Nagkaubusan na ng isda doon dahil marami ng Chinese na nangingisda doon. Dati, apat na araw lang nakakauwi na kami pero ngayon ay inaabot kami ng sampung araw dahil marami nang Chinese ang nangingisda doon na halos katabi lang din namin,” Millan said.
“Parang nabulabog na ang mga isda dahil sa maraming mangingisdang Chinese doon. Nakakadalawa o isang tonelada na lang kami na dati ay umaabot ng apat na tonelada,” he added.
He found it hard to share the fishing ground with Chinese fishermen “dahil minsan mabait, minsan mahigpit ang mga ito.”
Millan though saw nothing wrong for the country to befriend the Chinese as long as they (Filipino fishermen) will not be driven away from the Scarborough Shoal.
He said that he saw many Chinese fishing boats and rubber boats of the Chinese Coast Guard inside the Scarborough Shoal before they returned to Mariveles last week.
Dalisay Cruz, president of the Sisiman Fishing Association, said their members are fishing at the Tubbataha and Commodore Reefs in Palawan and no longer in Scarborough.
“May takot na ang mga kasapi namin sa West Philippines Sea na pinag-aagawan ng China at Pilipinas,” Cruz, also Sisiman barangay kagawad, said.
Members of the association are owners of 51 fishing boats with crews of not less than 14 per boat.
She said their members have shunned Scarborough Shoal but even in their present fishing grounds within the Philippine waters, fish catch is being depleted fast.
“Mahirap ngayon at parang ngayon lang kami tinamaan ng pandemic dahil bawat dumarating sa pangingisda ay lugi. Noon inaabot lang ng isang kinsenas na kung sinuswerte ay sampung araw lang ay nakakabalik na pero ngayon ay inaabot ng buwanan sa sobrang hirap ng daloy ng isda.” she said.
Cruz said fishermen have been experiencing the poor fish catch and big losses since January this year.
“Nananawagan kami sa ating pamahalaan na sana ay magkaroon ng kaunting ayuda sa ating mangingisda. Sana sa pagbibigay ng pamahalaan ng ayuda ay maisama ang mga mangingisda,” Cruz said.
