By Francis Allan L. Angelo
Local government units (LGUs) across the Philippines are mounting a unified opposition against the Supreme Court’s ruling allowing commercial fishing vessels to operate within municipal waters. This collective resistance underscores the critical role of local leaders in safeguarding marine ecosystems and securing the livelihood of small-scale fishers.
The controversial decision nullified key provisions of the Fisheries Code, which previously protected municipal waters—those within 15 kilometers of shore—for small fisherfolk. The ruling has since sparked widespread outcry from coastal communities, environmental advocates, and policymakers who argue that allowing commercial fishers to exploit these waters will lead to overfishing, habitat destruction, and economic displacement of artisanal fishers.
Provinces, LGU alliances, and individual municipalities have responded with legal interventions, public statements, and collaborative efforts to challenge the ruling. In Iloilo, the provincial government has taken legal steps by filing a motion to intervene in the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) appeal for reconsideration. Several coastal municipalities, including Carles, Oton, Ajuy, Anilao, Barotac Nuevo, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Concepcion, Dumangas, San Dionisio, San Joaquin, Guimbal, Miagao, Tigbauan, and Estancia, have joined the chorus of opposition.
The stance of Iloilo’s LGUs aligns with nationwide resistance. In Negros Occidental, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has expressed solidarity with small-scale fishers, emphasizing the importance of protecting local fishing communities from the encroachment of industrial-scale operations. The region’s fishing industry, which depends on the ecological balance of the Guimaras Strait and the Visayan Sea, faces a direct threat if commercial fishing fleets are allowed in municipal waters.
In Antique, Vice Governor Edgar Denosta and Libertad Mayor Mary Jean Te, who heads the Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, and Culasi (LIPASECU) Bay-Wide Management Council, have echoed similar concerns. They warn that if the ruling is enacted, smaller fishers will struggle to compete with larger commercial vessels that can deploy advanced fishing technology, drastically depleting marine resources.
The legal battle over commercial fishing in municipal waters has also extended beyond the Visayas region. In Mindoro, Sablayan Mayor Walter Marquez has joined forces with civil society groups to file a motion for intervention. In Surigao del Norte, officials from Del Carmen have called on both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Supreme Court to uphold municipal fishers’ preferential rights over municipal waters.
The stakes in this dispute are high. Fisheries play a crucial role in the Philippine economy, with over 1.9 million Filipinos directly dependent on fishing for their livelihoods. However, the industry is already under immense strain due to climate change, illegal fishing, and declining fish stocks. Allowing commercial fishing vessels into municipal waters could push the industry to a breaking point.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reveal a troubling decline in fisheries production. In 2024, total fisheries output dropped to 4.05 million metric tons, a 5% decrease from 4.26 million metric tons in 2023. Marine municipal fisheries suffered the most, with an 8.8% decline in production—their lowest level since 2002—accounting for just 19.8% of total fisheries output.
In contrast, commercial fisheries saw a slight increase in output, growing by 4.2% in 2024. This shift suggests that larger fishing enterprises are gaining a disproportionate share of the country’s fisheries production, further marginalizing small-scale fishers. The Supreme Court’s ruling threatens to exacerbate this imbalance by allowing commercial vessels to encroach on previously protected waters.
The Department of Agriculture and BFAR have already sounded the alarm on the ecological consequences of the ruling. They have warned that commercial fishing in municipal waters could lead to overfishing, biodiversity loss, and destruction of critical marine habitats such as coral reefs and mangrove forests, which serve as breeding grounds for various fish species.
International environmental organizations, such as Oceana, have also stepped in, calling for urgent action to reverse the ruling. The group has highlighted how 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 formally declared their opposition. Oceana Acting Vice President Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio noted that these LGUs recognize that sustainable fisheries management is essential to food security and the long-term viability of coastal economies.
Given the broad-based opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision, it is imperative that LGUs remain steadfast in their legal and policy interventions. Municipal governments must leverage their collective influence to ensure that national policies prioritize small-scale fishers and environmental sustainability over the profit-driven interests of commercial fishing corporations.
One potential course of action is for LGUs to pass local ordinances reinforcing existing marine protection policies. Municipal and provincial governments can collaborate with fisherfolk associations, non-governmental organizations, and academia to conduct marine resource assessments and establish evidence-based regulations.
Additionally, LGUs must actively engage national leaders to push for legislative amendments that restore the Fisheries Code’s original protections. Congress should take decisive action to clarify and reinforce the preferential rights of municipal fishers, ensuring that any judicial misinterpretation of the law does not result in irreversible environmental and socio-economic damage.
The battle over municipal waters is more than just a legal dispute—it is a fight for the survival of coastal communities, the integrity of marine ecosystems, and the country’s long-term food security. As the Supreme Court deliberates on various motions for reconsideration, the collective voice of LGUs, fisherfolk, and environmental advocates must remain strong and unyielding.
Failure to reverse this ruling could set a dangerous precedent, where local governments lose their authority to regulate and protect their own natural resources. If LGUs surrender this fight, the consequences will be felt for generations, as fish stocks dwindle and livelihoods collapse.
Unity is the key to victory. LGUs must continue to stand firm against commercial exploitation of municipal waters, proving that local governance remains a powerful force in shaping national policy. By doing so, they will not only protect the interests of small-scale fishers but also uphold their duty as stewards of the country’s invaluable marine resources.
