Local fisher narrates bad effects of hulbot-hulbot, dynamite fishing

A fisherman in the Municipality of Roxas shares his insights why hulbot-hulbot fishing and other illegal methods be totally banned.

Eleuterio Mercader, 69, a native of Placer, Masbate moved to Green Island, Roxas in 1989 and engaged in seaweeds farming. But in 2000, he shifted to fishing (paglalambat) due to his age.

In a one-on-one interview with Palawan Daily News (PDN), “Nong Terio,” as what his kababayan fondly calls him, of which, the Visayan term “Nong” is a short cut for “manong” or “kuya,” recounted how bounty the island  once had in terms of marine resources, until the illegal fishing methods changed everything.

According to him, one of the culprits is hulbot-hulbot fishing, aside from, of course, dynamite fishing.

“[Naramdaman namin na humina ang huli naming isda] noong pumasok na ang hulbot, simula ata noong 2004 o 2006,” he said. “Natigil sila bago lang, mga wala pang tatlong taon. Kung hindi talaga iniutos ng national [government], hindi talaga matigil. Dito mismo, tuloy-tuloy talaga.”

Last July 5, 2018, then-Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol signed Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 246, in accordance with RA 10654, an amendment to the existing Fisheries Code of the Philippines that orders a nationwide ban on the operation of Danish Seine and Modified Danish Seine within the Philippine waters.

“Natuwa [kami] pero malaki pa rin ang diperensiya kasi wala na eh! Ubos na [ang mga isda]. Ang iba nga nagsasabi na ‘Oh! Wala ng hulbot, pero wala pa rin tayong huli!’ Eh! Ano ang huhulihin na naubos na?” he lamented.

When asked on why the said kind of fishing method should not be allowed to practice, he categorically said that it is because of the fine nets the illegal fishers are using and the overall destructive methods.

“Nauubos talaga ang semilya, kaliit-liitang isda nahuhuli pero tinatapon lang nila, [na patay na]; hindi na napakikinabangan. Kasi ang hulbot, pag-arya, pwede nilang balikan hanggang maghapon. Hindi lang isang beses nag-aarya, sa isang araw, kahit ilang beses; hangga’t mayroon pa silang mahuhuli, inaaryahan nila. Di ubos—wala nang lalaki uli [na mga isda]!” he said.

He reiterated again that they had an abundance of harvest during the 1990’s, when hulbot-hulbot is not yet introduced in the area.

“Noon talagang wala pang hulbot, sagana talaga. Dito lahat ng mga klaseng isda, pero simula nang sinubukan ang hulbot dito…maraming isda ang wala na sa [mga lugar na] sakop ng Roxas,” he said unhesitatingly.

In comparison, he said that if before they just threw sapsap, but now, they even give value to the simplest ones.

“Noon…sa sobrang dami [ng aming huli],mga ganitong oras, alas sais [ng gabi], sige pa kami tinga ng isda [na huli namin sa lambat]. Kaya ‘yung mga sapsap, hindi na namin kaya, medyo pabayaan na lang namin  na lumutang sa dagat na kinukuha ng ibang tao,” he further said.

“Ngayon, naghahanap na kami ng sapsap na marami pero wala na kaming mahuli.  Wala nang tapon [ngayon] kahit ‘palid-palid’ kasi ang mga tao nga, araw-araw naghahanap ng tuyo, ng sapsap. Malaki talaga ang depirensiya ngayon sa noon,” he exclaimed.

He also blamed the use of dynamites in the decline of fish harvest for the past years.

“Galing sa ibang lugar, papasok sana rito, masalubong naman ng ibang naghahanap-buhay, hindi na makarating sa tabi. Imbis na makapangitlog, hindi na dahil binibira rin ng ibang naghahanap-buhay,” he said.

Today, people of Green Island sometimes experience the scarcity of food supply in terms of marine resources, especially during “Amihan,” when there are affected by a low pressure area or worse, when they hit by a typhoon.

Sa ngayon, hindi kami nakaiipon masyado [ng tuyo]. Noong una, kahit 200 kilos ang isang linggo namin, ngayon hindi na. Kung medyo kaunti lang [ang aming huli], mauubos din dito ang sariwa, binibili na pang-ulam ng mga tao [sa araw-araw],” he said.

For now, his only hope is for the authorities and the concerned agencies to properly implement the Fisheries Laws for the generations to come.

“Sana huwag nang maibalik [na mapayagan ang mga illegal fishing method) kasi kawawa naman ang mga bagong henerasyon, mga apo-apo [namin],” Mr. Mercader added.