NSC to Palawan fishermen: Go fish in WPS

The National Security Council (NSC) urged fishermen in Palawan to go beyond the municipal waters and fish in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying it is the right of every Filipino to utilize all the natural resources in that part of the country.

- By PIA LEE-BRAGO

NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya assured the northern Palawan fishermen of government support during the Northern Palawan Fisherman's Congress on Thursday in Coron, Palawan.

"The newly enacted Philippine Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling have clearly established our legal rights in the West Philippine Sea, so I urge you to go and continue fishing in the WPS and we are here to support you," Malaya told some 170 northern Palawan fisherfolk.

The Northern Palawan Fishermen's Congress gathered around 170 fisherfolk from the towns of Coron, Culion, Linapacan and Busuanga, along with representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units.

Malaya also told the fishermen that there is no Philippine government-imposed moratorium on fishing because of guidelines imposed by the China Coast Guard.

"There is no government-imposed moratorium on fishing anywhere in the West Philippine Sea. There are BFAR-imposed closed fishing seasons in our archipelagic waters to allow the fish to recover but none in the West Philippine Sea," Malaya said.

He asserted that Beijing "has no legal authority to impose any moratorium or legal regulation of activities of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea."

"Only the Philippine government can impose that (regulation). And I'm here to tell you that you are free to fish anywhere in the WPS," he added.

With the theme "Kaunlaran at Kapayapaan sa Kanlurang Dagat ng Pilipinas," the event underscored the crucial role of fisherfolk in safeguarding marine resources, advancing food security and fostering maritime peace.