Fish supply endangered needs urgent law implementation

SOUTHERN LEYTE – Communities, islands and countries are interconnected with each other by the seas and marine life in them. Fish supply is dependent on how healthy and biodiverse the aquatic life is.
In the Philippines, one place that offers a rich marine biodiversity is Southern Leyte, particularly Panaon Island which lies along Sogod Bay on one side, and is in close proximity to Limasawa Island, another world-class dive site and fish abundant area.
However, in a series of consultations with the people of Panaon Island between April and August 2024, Oceana, the international marine conservation group that drew interest on the island after an expedition in 2021, learned that there were alarming cases of illegal fishing, a “significant stressor to marine biodiversity.” In 2021, Oceana found Panaon’s coral reefs with up to 60 percent of very good coral cover, which is more than the national average of around 20 percent.
It was found out that the type of illegal fishing that were practiced were compressor fishing and night spearfishing. Oceana said that these illegal fishing practices disturb breeding cycles, deplete fish populations and drive marine endangered species to extinction.
Barangay leader Raul Cordova of Son-ok, Pintuyan town in Panaon Island revealed that while night spearfishing and using compressors, some fishers would use poison. “This causes significant damage to coral reefs and other marine life. If this situation continues, we fishermen in Panaon, will really struggle with our livelihood as we rely solely on the sea,” Cordova said.
With the above development, there is an urgency on the immediate approval of the bills of two Southern Leyte representatives Luz Verano Mercado with House Bill 4095 and Christopherson Yap with House Bill 3743. The provincial government has also approved the entire Panaon Island and its seawaters as Marine Protected Seascape according to executive order signed by Governor Damian Mercado. The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office has also been directed to prepare the necessary Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry into effect the executive order.
But still the Law has to be passed. Panaon Island has been proposed for inclusion in Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act.
“Despite the progress made, such as the House of Representatives approving the bill on the third and final reading on Nov. 29, 2023 and being backed by Senator Cynthia Villar, there is an increasing need to emphasize its urgency due to the number of threats and problems to Panaon Island’s biodiversity” Oceana Philippines vice president Gloria Estenzo Ramos emphasized. She said that this is necessary for marine life preservation and sustainable development. It will also “enhance governance, law enforcement, citizen participation, collaboration, and support from national agencies and local governments,” she added.
Oceana also reported that Panaon Island is home to among the threatened species of marine life such as Chevron Butterflyfish, Bower’s Parrotfish, Spinetail Devil Ray and Blackbar Damsel. These fishes are cited by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as among the species that are endangered.
Oceana senior campaign manager Danny Ocampo also commented,
“Coral cover was very good in the shallows and as we went deeper between two coral outcrops, it was decorated with lots of crinoids, soft corals, and sea fans.” Among the marine species seen were octopuses, black tip sharks, batfishes, eel, sea turtles, sea snakes, large chevron barracudas, giant trevallies, and big red snappers. (GMReyes)