Makabayan bloc seeks House probe on commercial fishing in municipal waters

Makabayan lawmakers have filed a resolution calling for a House inquiry into the consequences of permitting large commercial fishing operations within the 15-kilometer municipal water zone.

This legislative move follows appeals from fisherfolk groups and advocates asking the Supreme Court to allow their intervention in a case involving Mercidar Fishing Corporation.

House Resolution No. 2202, filed by Representatives Raoul Manuel, France Castro, and Arlene Brosas, highlights expert estimates suggesting that opening municipal waters to commercial operators could reduce the area available to small fisherfolk to a mere 2% of Philippine waters.

The resolution also references data from Oceana, which has documented widespread illegal commercial fishing activities within the municipal waters of numerous towns, including Zamboanga City and Cuyo, Palawan.

In 2024, the Supreme Court's First Division upheld a prior ruling that permitted Mercidar Fishing Corporation to operate within municipal waters, except in shallower areas, finding certain sections of the Fisheries Code to be unconstitutional.