Groups urge PH to restore mangroves in abandoned fishponds

Groups urge PH to restore mangroves in abandoned fishponds

MANILA, Philippines—In the face of climate change’s escalating damage, Oceana, an international organization, and a coalition of scientists and civic groups are urging the government to breathe new life into abandoned fishponds by restoring them to thriving mangrove ecosystems.

In a letter sent last December to Agriculture Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel and Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo Loyzaga, more than 10 global and local conservation groups highlighted the National Climate Change Action Plan’s (NCCAP) emphasis on critical measures for boosting the resilience of communities and ecosystems against climate change.

“The protection and rehabilitation of critical ecosystems, such as mangroves, beach forests, and coastal wetlands, and the restoration of their ecological services contribute to our international commitments…,” the letter read.

The framework targets the effective conservation and management of at least 30 percent of the world’s lands, inland waters, coastal areas, and oceans.

The groups noted that the country has about 450,000 hectares of lush mangrove forests recorded in 1918.

Unfortunately, over half of these have disappeared, mainly because of their conversion to fishponds and other coastal projects, making the Philippines the second in rank in Southeast Asia for mangrove depletion.

‘Inconsistencies in policies’

In the letter, the signatories stressed several laws and policies aimed at protecting mangroves and the repurposing of fishponds to their original status as mangroves.

The Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines, also known as Presidential Decree No. 705, was strengthened by Republic Act 7161, which made cutting down mangroves illegal. In 1998, the Philippine Fisheries Code was introduced, specifying in Sections 46 and 49 that all abandoned fishponds must be reverted to their original mangrove state.

“The law is clear that the grant of Fishpond Lease Agreements come with mandatory conditions, such as automatic reversion back to mangroves once the fishponds have been abandoned, or remain undeveloped

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