More than 50 fisherfolk, youth advocates, and community leaders in Zamboanga City launched a united campaign on Saturday, May 30, to protect municipal waters from the intrusion of large commercial fishing vessels, warning that the practice severely threatens their livelihoods and local food security.
In a statement sent to this paper, Jared Pat Pagantihon, Mindanao Policy and Communications Officer for the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), expressed the organization's full support for the movement.
Pagantihon noted that in observance of National Fisherfolk Day on May 30, members of Pitas Island Fisherfolk, Youth for Climate Justice-Zamboanga City Chapter, and Mujeres del Panzulan Organization held a forum and fluvial parade to highlight the worsening hardships faced by small-scale fishers.
The coalition announced plans to submit a formal petition backed by a signature campaign, urging government authorities to strictly enforce laws that reserve municipal waters exclusively for artisanal fishers.
You may also like: Iligan marks Flag Day with call for unity, reform
Julpin Alvar, leader of the Bulong Fisherfolk Association in Barangay Bolong, shared the struggles local fishers face daily due to commercial encroachment.
"We can no longer catch enough fish because commercial vessels are entering our municipal waters," Alvar said. "Our seaweed farms have also been affected by extreme heat. We are simply asking authorities to protect the sea that feeds our families."
The affected communities of Pitas Island and Sitio Panzulan are calling for stronger maritime patrols and tougher penalties against violators.
They stressed that protecting municipal waters is vital not only for sustaining fisherfolk livelihoods but also for safeguarding the region's food security and marine resources.
