Chinese fishermen have been using cyanide in Bajo de Masinloc to “intentionally destroy the resource-rich lagoon and prevent Filipino fishermen from entering their traditional fishing grounds, an official from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said on Saturday.

In a news forum in Quezon City, BFAR information officer Nazario Briguera confirmed that a portion of Bajo de Masinloc has been destroyed.

“Yung mga Chinese fishermen ay gumagamit ng cyanide (These Chinese fishermen are using cyanide)… These Chinese, they intentionally destroy Bajo de Masinloc to prevent Filipino fishing boats from fishing in the area,” Briguera said, citing narratives from Filipino fishermen in the area.

He said the BFAR has yet to assess the worth of damage due to cyanide fishing in the area.

Briguera emphasized that China’s use of cyanide, especially in an area beyond their exclusive economic zone, is a “clear case of illegal, unreported, and undocumented fishing.”

“This is a serious concern that we need to condemn,” he said.

According to the BFAR, around 385,300 Filipino fisherfolk are depending on their livelihood in the West Philippine Sea, with a catch of around 275,520 metric tons of fish annually.

Biguera said that around 20 to 30 percent of the catch is from the portion of Bajo de Masinloc.

While the fishermen’s total catch in the WPS contributed at least 6 to 7 percent to the country’s fisheries sector.

Further, he lamented that using cyanide not only affects species of fish but also kills fish larvae and destroys coral reefs.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela, described China’s use of cyanide in the Philippine waters as an “attack on humanity.”

“The destruction of the marine environment is not just an attack on one country’s sovereignty," Tarriela stressed.

"It is an attack on humanity. It’s not just the Philippines that will be affected if they will constantly and persistently do this,” he added.