DENR to stop fish cage operations in Subic
SAN FERNANDO CITY -- The operations of at least five fish cages built within 22 hectares of the municipal waters in Subic, Zambales, will be stopped this week, the chief of the Environmental Management Bureau here said.
Lormelyn Claudio, EMB director in Central Luzon, said the five operators did not secure environmental compliance certificates (ECCs).
The status of six other operators will be decided by the outcome of coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, she said.
The 11 operators maintained 171 fish cages in the waters of sub-villagge Mapang-eb in Cawag village. Six of the operators have obtained only municipal resolutions, or permits, from the village council or mayor since 2004. The rest have operated without local permits, an EMB document showed.
“Our legal division has prepared the cease-and-desist orders as clamored by the multi-partite monitoring team (MMT), the Subic Bay Resort Association (Subra) and Zambales Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain and as verified by our field staff,” Claudio said.
In June, the Samahang Pinagkaisa sa Pangisdaan (Sapsap) blamed pollution from those fish cages as the cause of fish kills that averaged 100 kilograms of milkfish daily in the last week of that month.
The EMB’s investigation of the proliferation of the fish cages in Subic began in July 2005 on the heels of a complaint by Carlos Rodriguez to then Environment Secretary Michael Defensor.
As early as then, EMB investigator Emerita Sebial noted the lack of ECCs and permit from the BFAR. Payment of fines and issuance of notice of violations were recommended then. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon
Lormelyn Claudio, EMB director in Central Luzon, said the five operators did not secure environmental compliance certificates (ECCs).
The status of six other operators will be decided by the outcome of coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, she said.
The 11 operators maintained 171 fish cages in the waters of sub-villagge Mapang-eb in Cawag village. Six of the operators have obtained only municipal resolutions, or permits, from the village council or mayor since 2004. The rest have operated without local permits, an EMB document showed.
“Our legal division has prepared the cease-and-desist orders as clamored by the multi-partite monitoring team (MMT), the Subic Bay Resort Association (Subra) and Zambales Vice Governor Ramon Lacbain and as verified by our field staff,” Claudio said.
In June, the Samahang Pinagkaisa sa Pangisdaan (Sapsap) blamed pollution from those fish cages as the cause of fish kills that averaged 100 kilograms of milkfish daily in the last week of that month.
The EMB’s investigation of the proliferation of the fish cages in Subic began in July 2005 on the heels of a complaint by Carlos Rodriguez to then Environment Secretary Michael Defensor.
As early as then, EMB investigator Emerita Sebial noted the lack of ECCs and permit from the BFAR. Payment of fines and issuance of notice of violations were recommended then. Tonette Orejas, Inquirer Central Luzon
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:43 AM
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