by pna
A group of leaders of
fisherfolk organizations,
experts and
activists from 50 organizations nationwide have called for a 10-year moratorium of reclamation projects.
In a statement, the groups called for a stringent review and rationalization of the
National Reclamation Plan in areas including
Cordova,
Cebu and
Panglao in Bohol Province.
Reclamation is the process of conversion by filling, dredging, or other artificial means of foreshore land or submerged areas into land suitable for use as habitation or for cultivation.
The
Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center Inc. (Fidec) and
Pamana Sugbo are among the signatories of the People’s Summit on the Impacts of Reclamation last Oct. 25, 2012.
Owen Migraso, Fidec executive director, said reclamation projects pose as a threat to the coastal habitat and livelihood of small-scale fisherfolks.
Migraso said local government units should prioritize protection, conservation of coastal marine resources to help develop local economy, particularly in the fisheries sector.
In the Summit statement, the participants pointed out that “various independent and scientific studies such as in Panglao, Bohol, in Cordova, Cebu and in the Manila Bay have extensively demonstrated how existing reclamation projects can potentially result in the decreased productivity and biodiversity, disruption of vital ecosystem functions, increased vulnerability to floods and the displacement and dislocation of thousands of families dependent on the affected environments for their livelihood.â€
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