Davao City environment officials support fish cage demolition

DAVAO CITY, Oct 8 (PIA) Environment officials supported the order of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to dismantle the fish cages at the Matina-Aplaya due to protect public health.

City Council Committee on Environment and Natural Resources chair Councilor Leonardo Avila III said that in the first place many of the fish cages there do not have business permits.

He said the mayor is only exercising his police power in dismantling the cages to make sure that all activities in the area are authorized, proper and legal.

Avila said fish cage operation needs proper management since it produces food.

He said this enterprise needs proper identification of marine resource area where the government can constantly monitor its carrying capacity to avoid pollution.

Avila noted that there was a migration of fish cage operation from other areas of the region.

“There were those who transferred their fish cages from Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte to Matina Aplaya,” he said.

Avila lauded the political will of Mayor Duterte to address the fish cage issue.

He recalled that even   Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in the past ordered to dismantle the fish cages following the noted water pollution in the area.

Engr. Elieza Madrazo, city environment and natural resources officer said. E.coli contamination at the Matina-Aplaya area had been an issue for the past three years.

She sad that the Cenro’s concern is to minimize the dumping of the solid waste to the sea.

Madrazo said they already met the owners of the fish cages three months ago, when they were given the advice to move out by November, 2014.

“Our problem is where to transfer them, since the proposed new location is also a reservation area” she said. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)