IT is ironic that as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched the National Plan of Action for Small-Scale Fisheries on Oct. 21, 2024, the legal provisions of vital importance to the very same sector were struck down as unconstitutional. Not just once, but twice: by the Malabon Regional Trial Court and the Supreme Court's First Division, in December 2023 and August 2024, respectively. Mercidar Fishing Corp. had successfully challenged the Fisheries Code's ban on large-scale fishing operations within municipal waters.
BFAR, represented by the Solicitor General, was even declared in default for failing to submit its answer on time. It took the December 28 article by Rappler's Iya Gozum to wake up and shake up BFAR and the rest of us. Gozum's article was the starting shot for a frenzy of activities among government officials and stakeholders. The court ruling indeed has grave implications not just for the small-scale fisherfolks but for food security, the livelihood of thousands of families, the state of fish stock, and the authority of local government units to manage municipal waters.
Register to read this story and more for free.
Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience.
ContinueOR
See our subscription options.