Rep. Rufus Rodriguez files bill for small fishermen's exclusive rights to municipal waters

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez filed House Bill No. 11383 seeking to grant small fishermen exclusive rights to fish in municipal waters.

Municipal waters are defined in the bill as extending 15 kilometers from the shoreline of coastal local government units.

The bill proposes to amend Section 17 of the Fisheries Code of 1998, replacing the word 'preference' with 'exclusive rights' for registered fisherfolk organizations and cooperatives.

Rodriguez stated this change is a matter of social justice and aims to strengthen existing provisions that grant preference to fisherfolk organizations.

The proposed bill comes after the Supreme Court affirmed a decision declaring parts of the Fisheries Code unconstitutional, ruling that the constitution does not allow limiting marine resource utilization exclusively to subsistence fishermen.