Credits: BusinessWorld Online
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced on Sunday its plan to sample fish in areas affected by the recent oil spill from the sunken MT Terra Nova off Bataan to assess the necessity of imposing a fishing ban.
BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera emphasized the potential impact on the livelihood of thousands of fishermen if a fishing ban is implemented due to the oil spill.
“We have yet to coordinate with the local government units in declaring a fishing ban,” Briguera said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview. “Right now, we still have to gather and consolidate all the relevant information. We still need to sample the fish. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is also sampling the water.”
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga indicated that the oil spill might affect Bulacan, Cavite, and Pampanga.
As of Saturday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) described the oil spill as 12 to 14 kilometers long but still “manageable.” However, technical divers from Harbor Star, the salvor working on the MT Terra Nova, discovered a small leak from the tank valve.
Briguera urged fisherfolk to monitor their surroundings for signs of the oil spill spreading. “The fishes can actually swim away from the affected area. They won’t really be affected right away,” he said. “But if the leakage is already widespread, there has to be an analysis of the fishes to see if there is already contamination.”
Despite the potential for a fishing ban, Briguera assured that the government is ready to assist affected fishermen.
The MT Terra Nova capsized early Thursday, causing the oil spill. The vessel, en route to Iloilo, was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel when it capsized 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point in Limay town, Bataan. Sixteen of the 17 crew members were rescued, while one crewman was found dead.
On Friday, the PCG began collecting oil to counter the spread of the spill. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Saturday ordered the creation of an inter-agency task force to address the situation.
