E.B. Magalona Mayor Marvin Malacon appealed to candidates for the May 12 midterm elections not to use the recent decision of the Supreme Court (SC) that allowed commercial fishing in municipal waters as an election issue.

In a social media post on Tuesday, March 4, Malacon said spreading fake news about the ruling will not help those in the coastal areas.

“If you won’t help our affected townmates, don’t spread misinformation and fake news,” the mayor appealed.

Malacon said it should be the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that has the “obligation” to inform the affected local government units (LGUs) in coastal areas.

“If the LGU knew there was a case, it would be the municipal government who would oppose it,” he pointed out.

Malacon assured affected residents, especially those in the coastal areas, that the municipal government will do everything to push to reverse the ruling of the SC.

Earlier, the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) called on national government agencies to take immediate action against the SC ruling.

In a resolution, the board members said there is a need for urgent action to safeguard the rights of municipal fishers, as well as to protect fisheries and marine resources.

“The decision threatens the livelihoods of over two million small fisherfolk in the country, including those in Negros Occidental, who rely on municipal waters for their daily sustenance and economic survival,” the resolution said.

“Unregulated commercial fishing in municipal waters will deplete fish stocks, degrade marine ecosystems, and undermine local conservation efforts that have been successfully implemented by local governments and fisherfolk organizations,” it added.

The SP reiterated its commitment to protect the more than 45,000 marginalized municipal fisherfolk with 472 fisherfolk associations in the 25 coastal cities and municipalities covering 187 barangays of Negros Occidental.

“It is imperative for the province of Negros Occidental to take a strong stand in support of its municipal fisherfolk and advocate for the protection of fisheries resources for future generations,” the resolution said.

Negros Occidental is the second local government in the Visayas to oppose the high court’s ruling on allowing commercial fishing to operate in municipal waters./WDJ