TACLOBAN CITY — Fisherfolks, civil society organizations and academic experts are calling on legislators to deny the proposal of the Bureau of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to amend the Fisheries Code and commercial fishing vessels in municipal waters.

Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Eastern Visayas chairperson Martha Cadano stressed that there were no consultations made with the local government units and other affected sectors before BFAR made the assessment and review of the Republic Act 10654 or the Philippine Fisheries Code.

"The assessment and review of RA 10654 is not enough because there was no LGU participation. BFAR should have at least consulted the mayors of affected municipalities before it takes steps," said Cadano.

Cadano leads a community-based and women-led enterprise that processes sardines in Victoria, Northern Samar.

In a statement, a broad coalition of academe, civil society and fisherfolk, asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and members of the Congress and the Senate to deny BFAR's proposal to allow commercial fishing inside the 15-kilometer municipal water zone of the sea.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food and the primary author of RA 10654 or the Fisheries Code, as amended, commits towards enabling mechanisms for the strict implementation of the law.

To recall, the BFAR conducted consultations in May and on 22 to 23 August and presented their proposed amendments to the Philippine Fisheries Code, among which are to allow commercial fishing as a rule rather than as an exception in the municipal waters, from 10.1 to 15 kilometers and in waters with the depth of 20 fathoms.