Mayor Calugay acts to save Sual’s aquaculture industry

SUAL, Pangasinan – The municipal government here headed by Mayor Liseldo “Dong” Calugay is taking steps to prevent the town’s aquaculture industry from suffering the same fate that befell fish farms in the municipalities of Anda and Bolinao that had been hit by massive fish kills in the past.

Noting that fish cages have proliferated beyond what is allowed under the Sual Fisheries Code of 2018 (Ordinance No. 02-2018), Mayor Calugay issued Executive Order No. 20 which calls for an “open, competitive and transparent selection process for the application and renewal of operation of fish cages in the mariculture zone of the municipal waters of Sual.”

Hundreds of fish cages occupy Sual’s municipal waters

“In the interest of public and common good, there is need to institute a protocol where all existing operators and applicants for permit to construct and operate fish cages shall comply with the provisions of Sual Fisheries Code of 2018 and relevant national laws and regulations,” Mayor Calugay said in his directive.

A special task force created by the mayor to inspect the fish cages reported that some 44 fish cages were operating outside the mariculture zone and that several individuals and corporation were able to operate without the required business permits.

This prompted the mayor to create a Technical Working Group (TWG) “to accept and facilitate the application and/or renewal of permits to construct and operate fish cages.”

The TWG is composed of the municipal administrator as chairperson with the municipal treasurer and the municipal agriculture officer as members.

The TWG started receiving new application or renewal for permit to construct and operate fish cages on November 18, 2019. Meantime, the municipal agriculture office was tasked to come up with an updated list of operators of fish cages within the mariculture zone on or before Nov. 15, 2019.

Under the guidelines set by the mayor, the TWG shall complete the assessment of the application within 30 days from receipt of the requirements.

In case of disapproval, the applicant is given 30 days to remove the fish cages. However, the applicant may file an appeal with the office of the mayor within five days from receipt of notice of disapproval.

As this developed, Mayor Calugay tasked the Sangguniang Bayan to conduct a review of the town’s fisheries code “to ensure that coastal and fishery policies and guidelines remain responsive to the changing circumstances.”

                               Major supplier

With an average daily production of 60 tons of bangus or milkfish, Sual town is now the biggest supplier of the commodity in Ilocos Region. The town supplies 32 percent of the bangus requirement of Metro Manila, according to records of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

The bulk of local bangus production is sold in Navotas and Malabon in Metro Manila.

                                      Grim scenario

Officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources noted that there is a need to enforce strict aquaculture practices in the municipality of Sual for it to be able to maintain its status as a major producer and supplier of bangus in the country.

Recent water monitoring activities showed that dissolved oxygen in the municipal waters is reaching critical level at Barangay Cabalitian; abnormally low level in the villages of Baquioen, Pangascasan and Techno-demo; and low level at Barangay Baybay Norte.

Sual has not experienced a massive fishkill, but fish pen operators lose some stocks because of some bad practices, they said.

BFAR officials said a massive fishkill could still occur if no drastic measures are taken.  (P.R News)