Implementing Republic Act 8550 (The Fisheries Code of 1998): The Case of the Municipality of Mabini, Batangas

Abstract

Fisheries has always been an underdeveloped sector of our country. Although it comprises the largest part of the national territory and boasts a bounty of resources, the government has always been insincere in managing, protecting, preserving, conserving, maintaining and developing the fisheries. They wanted to disprove this fact by compiling all laws on fisheries and legislating them into what we now have as the Fisheries Code of 1998 (RA 8550). With the passing of this new law, the masses, especially the municipal fisherfolk, hoped that this would be the start of a new and bountiful life in fishing. But, is the passing of a new fishery law be enough to solve the country’s problem on fisheries? This study focuses on the case of the municipality of Mabini in the province of Batangas. Although the problems in this municipality are not as much as those municipalities and cities near the country’ major fishing bays, the researcher still found striking similarities in the problems of fisheries and the way the local and national government implements the Fisheries Code. The researcher found out that the municipal fisherfolk are underdeveloped, that they are not helped much by the government, that the local government have no concrete programs and actions to help the local fisherfolk, and that the Code itself is an insufficient tool to help the fishermen and manage the fisheries in general.