Increasing demand for marine products in
the local market is directly associated with the increasing human population of
the country. The increase in population per year has greatly impacted the
socio-economic landscape and values of the people. To mention some challenges associated with
population is its effect on coastal resource management. Destructive fishing activities is one of the
perennial issues affecting coastal resource management in the Philippines.
The enforcement of the national and local policies and regulations is very challenging because most of the time the effort will all trickle down to inconsistency in the implementation and lesser priority. In the northern part of Bohol, Philippines, the settlements are most commonly concentrated along coastal areas and islets thereby increasing the demand for marine products and at the same time potential increase in the enforcement threshold.
The first issue is the high demand of marine products in the local market. Why? When the demand is high, the price is also high. When the price is high – it is an indicator for the local fishermen to catch more regardless of its methods. There are other methods apart from the traditional fishing method which yield more catch. The more catch the more the money a fisherman can have in a day. Despite regulations of fishing gears used and the observance of closed fishing seasons that varies for different species, the incidence of violations is still high. Why it is happening?
During my internship in a non-government organization for marine conservation in the year 2000, I observed that the most common factor affecting the behavior of a fisherman towards the used of destructive fishing gear is the size of his family. The bigger the family, the more basic needs to provide for. Second, the norms of a community he belongs – the practices in a community regardless of ethical considerations and standards and third, the consistency of the law – policy implementation during transition of administration after an election. Lately, I came to realized that these external stimuli directly affect in the execution of his (fisherman) course of action. Whether the action is good because he earned more for his family or bad because the method is destructive to the environment, this course of action somehow accepted and becomes normal in his locality.
Apparently, government sector today capitalizes environmental management and protection practices that are mostly underpinning “Shallow Ecology”. The challenge is to balance the use of technological advancement for industrial and economic gains. How to direct this course of action for a specific local community to become a member of its community and not a conqueror? A conqueror that seems to own and use everything around them.
Today, my work is on environmental protection and preservation program at the municipal level. My task is to implement and innovate strategies for the integrated waste management of the local government unit. Working in the LGU of Bantayan – a small island composed of three municipalities one of which is the Municipality of Bantayan located in the northern part of Cebu Province in the Philippines. I find it interesting to work here because of its programs for the environment. To mention, we have “Catch to Culture” program which aims to drive the community from exploitation of marine resources to breeding/hatchery for the high value marine species. The main goal is to redirect the mindset of the people from harvesting to planting and production. Another program is on people empowerment to highlight the reproductive health and well-being program for the family. With the hope to gain buy-in from the majority of people in the locality. We hope to see gradual progress by constantly monitoring every inch of its target.
Changing the mindset of people in the locality is a bloody fight even in a very small community noting that individuals have different tendencies. But the good thing is that anyone can change it anytime. And in my own little way, I am inspired to change the way I structured my values towards creating action that is less detrimental to the environment.
(End) RTB
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