Oil Price Crisis in Philippine Seas: Commercial Fishing Encroachment into Municipal Waters Hits 5-year High
Press Release Date: April 23, 2026
While high fuel cost leaves many artisanal fishers unable to fish
International marine conservation group Oceana calls for an investigation of the alarming increase of commercial fishing boats detected inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters of the Philippines; the highest number of such vessels found in the last five years in 2022-2026.
In March alone, Oceana’s Karagatan Patrol website detected 3,853 apparent commercial fishing vessels inside municipal waters, using data from Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) that detects commercial-grade night lights. Oceana criticizes the government’s gross negligence in the surveillance and monitoring of the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters where municipal fishers have the preferential right to catch fish.
Of the 3,853 commercial fishing boats detected in municipal waters, 1,331—the most number of boats—were found in Palawan, the province that in March already passed an ordinance precisely banning commercial fishing operation inside municipal waters. Palawan is the first province to do so.
Quezon province has the second highest number of commercial fishing vessels detected in their waters. Oceana calls on the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the other enforcement agencies to use the state-installed vessel monitoring devices to strictly monitor their movement and compliance with the law.
“It is incomprehensible that the government is letting commercial fishing operators completely ignore the law while poor municipal fishers struggle with their daily food and other basic requirements,” said Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio, Oceana’s Senior Director for Campaigns and Legal and Policy. “They now have to seek for higher subsidies because the government is failing to ensure that their fishing grounds will give them the abundance of marine resources they can depend on.”
When closed fishing season ends in different parts of the country, Oceana warns of more commercial fishing vessel encroachment near the shore to save on cost.
Meanwhile, municipal fishers from different parts of the country are painting a picture of hunger, with many now unable to afford the fuel needed for them to go out and fish.
“Ang pinagtatrabaho na lang namin ay ang mga may-ari ng gasolinahan. Dahil halos doble ang itinaas ng gasolina. Kaya ang nahuhuli namin, pambili lang ng gasolina,” said Edward Diaz, President of Ugnayan ng Maliliit na Mangingisda ng Tayabas Bay in Quezon. “Malimit ay walang huli kaya pinipili na magtrabaho sa construction. Kaya kalimitan po ngayon ay nakabara na ang mga bangka namin. Yung ibang nakababa, pili lang ang araw ng paglaot namin kasi nabibitin sa budget sa pagbili ng gasolina.”
Fisherfolk leader Venerando Carbon from the Tañon Strait Fisherfolk Federation based in Cebu said artisanal fishers need to sail to about four to five kilometers from the shore in Tañon Strait to somehow ensure they have catch. He said they used to spend PHP 200 to PHP 300 each day but due to the unprecedented increase of prices of diesel, they need at least PHP 600 to PHP 700 now to catch fish that would barely be enough to cover the cost of fuel.
“Mas lalong namomroblema sila na sobrang mahal ng gasolina, nag-stop na talaga sila ng pagpalaot kasi walang kasiguruhan ang pagpalaot nila, kung may huli ba sila o wala. Pagpunta pa lang, lugi na sila sa dagdag ng mahal ng gasolina,” shared Carbon.
Fisherfolk leaders from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao jointly issued an appeal to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to increase their subsidy, more than the P3,000 pesos aid they are receiving. They also call on Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francis Tiu Laurel and the BFAR to fix the identification system of fisherfolk beneficiaries so that every poor fisherfolk will be enlisted to receive the needed assistance.
Fisherfolk leader Judith Castres from Davao Oriental said many of his fellow artisanal municipal fishers have not received the subsidy due to the government’s outdated and fragmented fisherfolk database. Castres also appealed to the DA on behalf of all fishers, who have been receiving less subsidy than farmers.
“The fisherfolk who could have relied on the natural life support system that the ocean should give them, suffers the most from the economic shock caused by these crises. From the pandemic, until now, the government continues to fail with the necessary protection they need. They need to be able to rely on the DA-BFAR, and on government that has the duly constituted mandate to protect the municipal fishers’ preferential right in the 15-kilometer municipal water. Thus far, they have been unable to do that,” said Osorio.
In a Fisheries Audit report released by Oceana this year, data reveal that country’s fisheries has been on a freefall decline for the past 13 years, with 88% of assessed fish stocks found to be overfished or captured extensively beyond its capacity to recover. This was attributed, primarily to the continuous intrusion of commercial fishing inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters that are primarily for municipal fishers. (END)
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 325 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more.
For More Information:
Joyce Sierra, Communications Manager, Oceana
Mobile: 09178214430 E-mail: jsierra@oceana.org
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Twitter: @oceana_ph Instagram: @oceana_ph