THE City Council, through the committee on agriculture and fisheries chaired by Councilor Annie Daba, in cooperation with the City Agriculture Office is finalizing the draft of the proposed City Comprehensive Coastal and Fishery Resources Management ordinance.
The proposed ordinance is in line with the policy of the city to achieve food security and economic well-being of the people as the overriding consideration in the utilization, management, development, conservation and protection of fishery and aquatic resources. It also aims to ensure priority access to the fishery and aquatic resources of the city for use and enjoyment of resident fisherfolk and their organizations or cooperatives.
The legislation also seeks to promote the proper management, conservation, protection and utilization of fisheries and aquatic resources within 15 kilometers Municipal Waters as the means of encouraging the sustain social and economic development of Cagayan de Oro City, as well as limit and control access to the fisheries and aquatic resources of the city in order to maintain the ecological balance and enhance the quality of the coastal environment, among others.
It will also ensure a substantial support to the fishery sector for the conservation and utilization of the city’s coastal areas and its fishery resources in conformity with Republic Act 8550, known as the “Philippines Fisheries Code of 1998,” as amended by Republic Act 10654, with the endorsement and recommendation of the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council, among others, as stated in the proposed law.
Section 7 of the proposed legislation provides that all fishery-related activities and fishery resources utilization in the city’s municipal waters of Cagayan de Oro, shall be reserved to municipal fisherfolks and their cooperative/organizations who are listed in the registry of municipal fisherfolks. Alliance fisherfolks may be allowed to fish in alliance water if he/she is a registered and licensed fisherfolk in the member municipality. Meanwhile, fisherfolks outside of the alliance may be allowed to fish in municipal water after paying the corresponding fees.
The proposed law requires the annual registration of all fishing banca operating and /or fishing within the municipal waters. Only registered fishing bancas shall be allowed to fish and/or operate within the municipal waters. It provides that an inventory of registered fishing bancas shall be maintained, and from time to time updated by the office of the City Agriculture Office thru the Coastal and Fishery Resource Management Division and be made available for public inspection.
Under the proposed law, the city, in consultation with the CFARMC may designate fishery reserve areas in the city municipal waters for the exclusive use of the LGU for propagation, education, research and scientific purposes.
It provides the declaration of Marine Fish sanctuaries in the barangays of Bayabas, Bonbon, Gusa, Cugman, and Puerto as well as the existing Mangrove Plantation/Reforestation in barangays Bulua, Bayabas, Bonbon, Gusa, Cugman, Tablon, and Bugo as Marine Protected Areas. (sp)
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