Visayan small fishermen are seeking economic aid of at least P10,000 a month as the Philippine government imposed the three-month closed fishing season within their area.
In a statement, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said this will subsidize the small fishermen, who are the most affected by the closed fishing season, survive the period of the fishing ban.

The closed fishing season in the entire Visayan Sea was implemented by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) Fisheries Administrative Order 167-3 (FAO 167-3) starting Nov. 15 until February next year.
PAMALAKAYA said that “small fisherfolks from at least 33 municipalities from Regions V, VI, and VII, are adversely affected for three months of fishing ban in their traditional fishing grounds”.
“A three-month closed season is three months of starvation for the affected fisherfolks. The closed season even covers the holiday season which is supposed to be the season of giving yet fishers will be deprived of their livelihood,” said PAMALAKAYA National Chairperson Fernando Hicap.
The fishers’ group called on the BFAR to identify the number of fishing families affected by the fishing ban from three regions surrounding the Visayan Sea.
In Panay Island alone, PAMALAKAYA said that the fishing ban covers at least nine and four coastal towns in the provinces of Iloilo and Capiz, respectively.
“Ultimately, the BFAR should immediately disburse economic subsidy worth P10,000 per fisherfolk family for every month the closed fishing season is in effect. That’s a total of P30,000 per fishing family for three months," Hicap said.
"The economic subsidy is just and a must for the fisherfolks whose livelihood will be heavily affected by the closed season. This cash subsidy would recover the potential income losses of small fisherfolks across Visayan Sea,” he added.