TACLOBAN CITY, (PNA) — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has already completed the replacement of fish pens at Lake Bito in Macarthur, Leyte with fish cages, to ensure sustainable fishing in one of Leyte’s biggest productive inland waters.
BFAR Assistant Regional director Justerie Granali said that the local government unit has already dismantled all structures in Lake Bito, that include houses and fish pens.
“Around 50 fish cages have already been distributed by BFAR to fisherfolk to replace fish pens,” Granali said.
BFAR has stepped up its coordination with the local government units for stricter compliance of fish cage operators to fishery laws.
The dismantling drive is part of enforcing a local zoning ordinance approved early last year in compliance with the Fisheries Code, prohibiting the utilization of more than 10 percent of a lake’s water spread area for aquaculture.
The initiative has prioritized fisherfolk in Barangay Villa Imelda or those settling near the lake.
Houses built within the lake will also be dismantled. Existing houses near the lake will not be allowed to construct extensions, the ordinance stipulated.
In 2012, Lake Bito, a 115-hectare body of water, has 48.9 hectares dotted with pens and cages exceeding the 11.5 hectares allowed by law. The BFAR described the fish pens as “too close and overcrowded”
The new zoning ordinance only allowed each fisherfolk to own a half hectare of fish pens.
However, BFAR National director Asis Perez suggested that instead of fish pens, the local government should promote the use of fish cages in order to benefit more residents.
“Only two fish pens can be established on a hectare but we can put 20 fish cages in the same area,” Perez said.
Currently, only three hectares of the lake have been devoted to aquaculture. Some free spaces of the 10 percent of the total area are still open for setting up of fish cages by individual fish farmers.
The fisheries bureau pushed for dismantling of structures following a massive fish kill incident. It was first reported by fisherfolk in March 14, 2012. The same incident occurred after a month. Both incidents have resulted in deaths of around 22,000 kilograms of tilapia valued at P1.7 million.
The BFAR findings revealed that that there are three factors contributing to the fish mortalities – domestic waste, overstocking, and contamination from nearby mining site. Residents rejected the first two factors and put all the blame on the mining firm.
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has granted the Chinese-backed Nicua Mining Corporation a 25-year permit to extract magnetite sand in the towns of MacArthur and Javier, both in Leyte.
The mining firm ceased its operation last year due to disagreement with partner company Leyte Ironsand.