Iloilo, Negros Occidental back stronger municipal waters protection

Fishing in Philippine waters composite image from INQUIRER, Philippine Coast Guard file photos. MANILA, Philippines — The fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Friday welcomed recent actions by local officials in Iloilo and Negros Occidental, saying the moves reflect growing support among some local governments for efforts to protect the country’s municipal waters. During the 49th regular session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Iloilo, second district board member Rolito Cajilig delivered a privilege speech calling for the passage of House Bill No. 5606, which seeks to uphold the exclusive rights of small-scale fisherfolk within the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters, according to Pamalakaya. In Negros Occidental, meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s Committee on Environment and Natural Resources held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would prohibit commercial fishing within the province’s municipal waters. Article continues after this advertisement Pamalakaya-Negros spokesperson Vincent Fernandez welcomed the initiative, saying, “Granting exclusive rights to small fishers will ensure food security and safeguard marine resources for future generations.” Renewed push for legal protection The developments come as fisherfolk organizations continue to push for legislation and local measures following a legal dispute over municipal waters that has drawn the attention of lawmakers, local governments, environmental groups and fishing communities. House Bill No. 5606, filed by members of the Makabayan bloc in 2025, was introduced following a court ruling involving Mercidar Fishing Corp. that challenged long-standing provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code governing municipal waters. READ: Fishers urge swift House action on bill protecting municipal waters Article continues after this advertisement In December 2023, the Malabon Regional Trial Court (RTC) declared unconstitutional several provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code and its implementing rules involving the definition of municipal waters, local government jurisdiction over those waters and the preferential rights of municipal fisherfolk. In August 2024, the Supreme Court’s First Division dismissed the government’s petition for review after ruling that it had been filed beyond the reglementary period, allowing the RTC decision to become final and executory. Article continues after this advertisement The ruling has since prompted continuing legal and policy efforts by the Department of Agriculture (DA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), lawmakers and other stakeholders, who have warned of its potential implications for fisheries governance, coastal livelihoods and marine resource protection. READ: Explainer: How a quiet court case threatens small-scale fishers Municipal waters refer to the marine area extending 15 kilometers from the shoreline. Under Republic Act No. 8550, or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, municipal and subsistence fisherfolk are granted preferential access to these waters. Republic Act No. 10654 later strengthened measures against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. The Philippines has about 308,612 square kilometers of municipal waters spanning more than 36,000 kilometers of coastline, with around 930 coastal local government units responsible for managing nearshore fisheries. These waters also serve as breeding and nursery grounds for fish and contain critical habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds. Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the actions taken by local governments reinforced the group’s campaign to restore what it described as the exclusive rights of small-scale fisherfolk over municipal waters. “Dumarami ang sumusuporta sa kampanya ng mga mangingisda para sa karapatan sa munisipal na pangisdaan. Pinagtitibay nito ang aming panawagan na ang municipal waters ay para sa maliliit na mangingisda at hindi sa mga commercial fishing,” he said in a statement. (More and more people are supporting the fisherfolk’s campaign to uphold their rights to municipal waters. This reinforces our call that municipal waters should be reserved for small-scale fisherfolk, not commercial fishing vessels.) “Dapat kilalanin ng pambansang pamahalaan ang lumalawak na panawagan ng iba’t ibang sektor para baligtarin ang kautusan ng Korte na pabor sa malalaking negosyo sa pangisdaan,” he added. (The national government should recognize the growing call from various sectors to reverse the court ruling that favors large commercial fishing businesses.) “Patuloy naming ilulunsad ang mga petisyon, protesta at pakikipagdayalogo sa mga lokal na pamahalaan hanggang muling kilalanin ang aming eksklusibong karapatan sa pangisdaan.” (We will continue to launch petitions, protests and dialogues with local government units until our exclusive rights to municipal waters are recognized once again.) Commercial fishing concerns persist The latest initiatives also come amid continuing concerns raised by fisherfolk organizations and conservation groups over commercial fishing activity inside municipal waters. Satellite-based monitoring by Oceana Philippines’ Karagatan Patrol platform recorded 3,853 apparent commercial fishing detections inside municipal waters in March 2026 — the highest monthly figure recorded from 2022 through 2026. From January 2017 through March 2026, the monitoring platform recorded and analyzed 317,315 detections associated with apparent commercial fishing activity inside municipal waters and marine protected areas where commercial fishing is prohibited. Monitoring data also showed that Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 4 — which covers waters surrounding Antique, Basilan, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay — recorded 78,133 detections from 2017 to 2026, the highest among the monitored areas. The figure accounted for 24.62 percent of all monitored activity. READ: Commercial fishing intrusions in municipal waters hit 5-year high The issue has also prompted action in other parts of the country. In March, Palawan became the first province to prohibit all commercial fishing operations within its 15-kilometer municipal waters after Gov. Amy Roa Alvarez signed Provincial Ordinance No. 3761. Provincial officials said the ordinance institutionalizes the protection and sustainable management of municipal waters as provincial policy while imposing administrative and criminal penalties on violators. READ: Palawan’s fishing ban stirs renewed debate over municipal waters Fisheries under pressure The debate over municipal waters comes as the country’s fisheries sector continues to face declining production and mounting pressure on marine resources. According to Oceana’s “Philippine Fisheries Assessment: A Glimpse of RA 10654’s 10-Year Implementation,” the Philippines has been losing an average of 45 million kilograms of fish annually since 2010 because of overfishing and governance failures. The assessment found that capture fisheries production declined from 2.6 million metric tons in 2010 to about 1.9 million metric tons in 2023, while approximately 88 percent of assessed fish stocks nationwide were overfished, overexploited or unable to replenish adequately. READ: BFAR faces scrutiny amid record fishing intrusions Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data also showed that marine municipal fisheries production fell to 802,770 metric tons in 2024, the lowest level recorded since 2002. In 2025, municipal fisheries production totaled 928,342.70 metric tons, accounting for 23.5 percent of the country’s total fisheries output. The country’s fisheries production has also continued to decline. Preliminary PSA data showed that total fisheries production fell to 3.96 million metric tons in 2025, down 2.5 percent from 4.06 million metric tons in 2024 and 4.7 percent from 4.26 million metric tons in 2023. Broader campaign The latest developments in the Visayas follow a series of nationwide activities calling for stronger protection of municipal waters. Earlier this year, around 300 fisherfolk and youth advocates gathered at the University of the Philippines Diliman to call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Congress to uphold protections for the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters. Participants also signed a petition urging the government to strictly enforce existing fisheries laws protecting municipal and artisanal fisherfolk. READ: Fishers, youth press Marcos to defend municipal waters Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. The initiatives in Iloilo and Negros Occidental come as Congress continues to consider measures affecting municipal waters and as fisherfolk groups, conservation organizations and some local governments push for stronger protections for nearshore fishing grounds that support coastal livelihoods, food security and marine ecosystems. /dm