No fishing ban in gov't plans, Marcos clarifies

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. made it clear on Saturday that the government has no plans to impose a fishing ban as a solution to address concerns about the declining fish population in the country.

“Hindi maganda ang pagkapaliwanag ko. Hindi fishing ban ang pinag-usapan ko. Ang sinasabi ko, kung saan 'yung breeding area ng isda, ‘wag tayong mangingisda doon para dumami 'yung isda,” Marcos said during a media interview at a rice distribution event in Iriga City, Camarines Sur.

(To clarify, I was not referring to a fishing ban. What I meant is that we should refrain from harvesting fish in their breeding areas to allow their populations to thrive.)

Marcos, who is also the agriculture chief, said on Tuesday that the government plans to introduce measures like a fishing ban in fish breeding areas to combat overfishing and protect fish stocks.

“Pero walang fishing ban. Hindi naman makakapaghanapbuhay ang tao. Padadamihin nga natin 'yung isda,” the president said.

(But rest assured, there won't be a fishing ban. We understand that people's livelihoods depend on it. Our goal is to allow the fish population to thrive.)

During the interview, Marcos also urged the public to actively identify and protect fish breeding areas.

Earlier this week, a fisher group criticized the government's plan, suggesting that the Marcos administration should stop reclamation and conversion of fishing grounds and coastal areas instead of enforcing a fishing ban.

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