By Francis Allan L. Angelo
Local government units (LGUs) across the Philippines are uniting against a Supreme Court ruling that allows commercial fishing vessels to operate within the 15-kilometer municipal waters from the shore.
The controversial decision, which nullified key provisions of the Fisheries Code, has prompted provinces, LGU alliances, and individual municipalities to take legal action, issue public statements, and collaborate with stakeholders to protect small-scale fishers and marine ecosystems.
In a statement, ocean conservation group Oceana said 19 mayors from the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Surigao del Sur and 13 mayors from the Alliance of LGUs Along Samar Bays and Channels (ALSBACH) have signed resolutions supporting the Department of Agriculture, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Office of the Solicitor General in their efforts to reverse the decision.
Oceana Acting Vice President Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio said the LGUs’ unified stance highlights the importance of municipal waters for coastal communities’ food and livelihood security.
“Rather than competing for resources, local governments chose to collaborate, ultimately benefiting their communities,” she said.
The Iloilo provincial government filed a motion on Feb. 21 to intervene in BFAR’s motion for reconsideration of the Supreme Court decision.
Meanwhile, the municipality of Carles has called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to implement measures protecting small-scale fishers.
Other Iloilo coastal towns opposing the decision, citing its negative impact on artisanal fishers and marine resources, include Oton, Ajuy, Anilao, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Concepcion, Dumangas, San Dionisio, San Joaquin, Guimbal, Miagao, Tigbauan, and Estancia.
In Negros Occidental, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed support for local fishers, underscoring the province’s commitment to protecting its coastal communities.
Officials are particularly concerned about potential damage to crab habitats in the Guimaras Strait and Visayan Sea, which are crucial to the region’s fishing industry.
The municipal government of Santa Fe, along with Oceana, civil society groups, and fisherfolk, joined a petition on Jan. 2 seeking to remand the case to a regional trial court so petitioners could be included as indispensable parties.
On Jan. 24, the municipality of Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro, led by Mayor Walter Marquez, filed another motion for intervention alongside civil society groups and people’s organizations.
Libertad, Antique, Mayor Mary Jean Te, who leads the Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, and Culasi (LIPASECU) Bay-Wide Management Council, warned that if the ruling is enacted, smaller fishers will struggle to compete with commercial fishing operations.
Antique Vice Gov. Edgar Denosta urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling, warning of the risk of fish stock depletion if commercial vessels are allowed in municipal waters.
Officials in Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte, echoed the concerns of municipal fishers, calling on the President and Supreme Court to uphold municipal fishers’ preferential rights and maintain regulations on commercial fishing operations.
“The legal dispute over commercial fishing in municipal waters continues as LGUs, fisherfolk, and advocacy groups challenge the ruling and seek clarity on the statutory authority of local governments and the rights of municipal fishers,” Osorio said.
BFAR has also filed a motion for reconsideration, requesting the Supreme Court to remand the case to lower courts for further examination.
BFAR officials warned that allowing commercial fishing in municipal waters could lead to overfishing and destruction of marine habitats.
The Philippines saw a sharp decline in fisheries production in 2024, with total output dropping to 4.05 million metric tons—a 5% decrease from 4.26 million metric tons in 2023.
This marked the lowest production level in two decades, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Marine municipal fisheries were hit hardest, with production falling 8.8% from 879,960 metric tons in 2023 to 802,770 metric tons in 2024—their lowest output since 2002—reducing their share to 19.8% of total fisheries production.
In contrast, commercial fisheries output rose 4.2% to 857,330 metric tons in 2024, up from 822,430 metric tons in 2023, accounting for 21.2% of total fisheries production.
