The press communiqué of Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala states that fish cage operators must at once stop their practice of overstocking to prevent another fishkill. Alcala made the call during a forum at the Don Leopoldo Sison Auditorium here where farmers from central and western Pangasinan as well as fisherfolk met with the secretary to voice their woes.
He recalled the fishkills that hit western Pangasinan and Batangas last month. He said that because of greed, fishkill happens, citing as example the overstocking of milkfish in Batangas where a 10x 10×6 cage was being stocked with fish that should be contained by a much bigger cage.
Commenting on illegal fishing at the Lingayen Gulf, he said there will be a dialogue with concerned local officials, law enforcement agencies, concerned agencies and other stakeholders to stop the practice. He was informed that trawl fishing is rampant at the gulf forcing small fishermen from San Fabian to engage in illegal practices like dynamite fishing.
City Mayor Hernani Braganza also raised that concern. Alcala bared that in the fish cage industry, fisherfolk can also earn by raising sea cucumber and sea shells underneath. He told that local government units ar ready to assist fishermen and farmers in dealing their occupations.
