A Senate inquiry has been proposed to investigate the impact of commercial fishing within the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters, amid mounting concerns over its effect on small-scale fishers, marine biodiversity, and national food security.
The proposed probe, formalized through a resolution filed recently, seeks to determine whether the recent Supreme Court ruling that allowed commercial vessels to operate in shallow coastal waters has compromised the livelihood of millions of Filipinos who depend on these areas for their daily catch.
The resolution also questions the scientific basis–if any–behind the 15-kilometer boundary and the 12.8-meter depth restriction, urging the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform to explore possible legislative interventions to protect municipal waters and uphold the rights of small fishers.
Senator Kiko Pangilinan, who filed the resolution, warned that continued encroachment by commercial vessels into municipal fishing grounds could “starve small fishers of their livelihood” and accelerate the collapse of critical fish populations such as sardines and anchovies.
“It’s about protecting the very communities who have long been the stewards of our seas.”
“This is about more than boundaries,” Pangilinan said. “It’s about protecting the very communities who have long been the stewards of our seas–and ensuring that our oceans remain a source of life and livelihood, not a battleground for survival.”
The controversy stems from a petition filed by Mercidar Fishing Corp. on October 25, 2023, challenging restrictions on commercial fishing in municipal waters.
On December 11, the Malabon Regional Trial Court ruled in favor of the petitioner, saying the 15-kilometer boundary was a political designation without scientific merit.
The Supreme Court’s First Division upheld the RTC ruling on August 19, 2024, citing procedural lapses by the Office of the Solicitor General, which represented the Department of Agriculture in appealing the case.
While legal efforts to overturn the ruling continue, small fisherfolk are already bearing the brunt. Pangilinan’s resolution cited studies indicating that if the decision stands, municipal fishers could lose access to 98% of their traditional fishing grounds, leaving them with only 2%.
Recent data supports fears of a looming crisis: municipal fisheries production dropped by 8.8%, from 879,960 metric tons in 2023 to 802,770 in 2024. In contrast, commercial fishing output rose by 4.2%, reaching 857,330 metric tons.
“Experts and advocates warn that unregulated access by commercial fleets will lead to overfishing, bycatch, and habitat destruction.”
“Experts and advocates warn that unregulated access by commercial fleets will lead to overfishing, bycatch, and habitat destruction,” the resolution said. “The risk to food security, coastal livelihoods, and biodiversity is too great to ignore.”
The inquiry aims to explore legislative and policy solutions that balance the sustainable use of marine resources with the protection of the country’s most vulnerable fishing communities.
