June 4, 2008 · Posted in: Environment Watch, Governance, Investigative Reports
Illegal fish cage operations poison Taal Lake
TAAL Lake remains a favorite destination of tourists, local and foreign — but maybe not for long. Thousands of fish cages now litter the lake, marring the view. It is estimated that Taal Lake is host to over 9,000 fish cages, which can sometimes make the water seem scarce.
Some 1,500 people directly get their income from these fish cages. These fish farms, in turn, provide food for those living in Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), and Metro Manila.
But experts warn that aside from being an eyesore, the unregulated fish cage operations at the world-famous lake are killing it. Overstocking and overfeeding have caused harmful algae to bloom, causing fish kills.
Ironically, Taal Lake is a declared protected area since 1996. This declaration notwithstanding, fish cages continue to mushroom in the lake.
This three-part investigative report by PCIJ fellow Marlon Luistro also looks at how the government and fish cage operators can save the lake from dying, without sacrificing the livelihood of those who earn from fish cages.
Read on at pcij.org.
7 Responses to Illegal fish cage operations poison Taal Lake
jcc
June 4th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Adam Smith’s economic principle in reverse:
“In Smith’s view, the production and exchange of goods can be stimulated, and a consequent rise in the general standard of living attained, only through the efficient operations of private industrial and commercial entrepreneurs acting with a minimum of regulation and control by governments. To explain this concept of government maintaining a laissez-faire attitude toward commercial endeavors, Smith proclaimed the principle of the “invisible hand”: Every individual in pursuing his or her own good is led, as if by an invisible hand, to achieve the best good for all. Therefore any interference with free competition by government is almost certain to be injurious”.
Here, the unabated construction of fish cages, free from government regulation is injurious to the lake and the fish that naturally grow in the lake, but profitable to the entrepreneurs who built these fish pens and hardly beneficial to the common man. To claim that to allow these entrepreneurs free-hand in the pursuit of economic activities will achieve the best good for all is hogwash and pure baloney.
I am not a communist nor a social reformist, but I believe the government must rein in these fish cages to save the lake and the fish in it. But a government under seige because of imputations of massive graft and corrruption lacks the political will to rein in these uninhibited activities of these enterpreneurs who most likely belong to the ruling class.
(Adam Smith, “The Wealth of Nations”)
amorejosh
June 8th, 2008 at 5:03 am
We cannot blame the people of Talisay in putting those illegal fish cages because that’s the only way they can support their families but as one of the resident of Talisay I agreed that it should be prohibited. Before, the taste of tilapia was ambrosial but now it really taste like a mud. If you could notice, each owner of the fish cage create a little nipa hut where they stay all throught out the day and night to control their harvest and for that their domestic waste was directly go to the water. I cannot imagine how dirty the lake is! When i was young I also bathe at the taal lake since our house is near the lakeshore but now the moment you see it, you will never wish to swim anymore. I think for me,the problem with the DENR is that they always make a project but not well implemented. I hope in this issue, the ZERO FISH CAGE will be successful. For the resident of Talisay, your coordination in this matter is a big help to restore the lake without disturbing the cost of living. I know how difficult life is but it will be more difficult for all of us if the lake will be devastated. As a steward of God’s creation we should not abuse what God has given us instead take care of it and use it responsibly. Thanks to the environmental activists who wake up the issue for awareness of the people…
jcc
June 8th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
my apology for my ignorance amorejosh. i thought these fish cages were built by enterprise capital of the wealthy.. but you were right that even the poor people making a living from the lake must be stopped from making the lake their urinals to save our enrvironment.
Albert T. Mamora
June 17th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
It was sometime in 1966-1967 when my father took me and my older brother on a trip both of us brothers were still in grade school, the travel took more than an hour by car it was my first time to arrive at Tagaytay there were just a few small houses overlooking the lake.
From Tagaytay circle there used to be a dirt road ( i think its still there, seldom used or maybe it has been concreted by now) leading down to Taal lake and the surrounding barrios.
Upon reaching the lake we traveled westward then stopping every now and then to enjoy the scenery, the clear waters of the lake and the island itself it was noontime and we still didn’t feel tired, exhausted. Excitement was in our blood then we chanced upon a bird hunter as we were close to the cliffs that over looked the lake.
So my dad stopped the car and approached the bird hunter armed with a air gun, and they conversed. It was then that i noticed the countless holes along the cliffs with so many birds of different colors flying in and out of their nests, the birds would fly out in droves then rush back into their holes when a hawk or falcon would fly by, it was exhilirating to watch.
While the conversation between my dad and the bird hunter continued, me and my older brother ventured towards the shoreline of the lake this time watching in awe as the hawks and falcons flying over the lake would fly by looking and spotting for fish would suddenly fly up towards the sun with their feathers glistening and swoop down towards the water.. then splash! with its talons ready to grab the fish, it was a sight to behold watching these birds of prey catch their meal…
I didn’t want to leave but what can a grade 1 and 2 student do? When your dad says its time to go back home.
20 years later i had the opportunity with some college friends to go visit the place, we hiked down the old road, well there were a lot of big houses and lot more being built, the surrounding vegetation was planted to fruit trees and gardens, but still we moved on with the emotion swelling inside me as we moved closer to the lake.
It was anger and frustration that i felt, because upon seeing the places were i had been 20 years ago, the lake’s shoreline was reeking with the smell of human feces, garbage strewn
all over, my college friends were busy taking pictures and i just had this empty feeling that really make me feel sad, i just didn’t have the urge or willingness to take pictures of a place that wasn’t what it used to be when i first saw as a young boy. the birds that used to live in the holes of the cliffs were gone, the holes were the birds used to nest were empty, so were the hawks and falcons gone for good i guess…
jcc
June 17th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Albert,
I can only feel the warmth of the tears from your eyes when you found your new Taal Lake.
Here is my memory of an idyllic fishing bariio of Bagacay, Camarines Sur which is in my book.
“We left this fishing village of Bagacay in 1957 and went to Naga City because my mother found an employment in the city as a policewoman.
The entire barrio is only a dream now. Years after I have become a lawyer I visited this barrio and found total waste and devastation of the once idyllic fishing village. Stretches of mangrove swamps which were home to punaw and other edible aquatic life were gone; bulldozed to give way to fishpond dikes of
some entrepreneurs out to make profit at the expense of
ecological balance of marine and botanical life”.
Rey Donne S. Papa
July 1st, 2008 at 1:52 pm
From one journalist to another, I would like to thank you for the enlightening article on Taal Lake’s present state. It was a good mixture of the concerns of scientists (such as myself working on Taal Lake), the locals (who benefit from the lake), and the side of the government on the fast declining state of Taal.
I have been doing my research in Taal since 2003 as part of my masters thesis on tawilis and I am now conducting my research on the lake zooplankton — the primary food source of tawilis and the impact of fish cages on its biology. As part of my research, I conduct monthly samplings in 6 sampling sites in Taal Lake and I agree with your observations that the number of fish cages seems to be reaching a critical point. The scientific community generally echoes the concerns by Dr. Zafaralla, the late Dr. Castillo and the people from BFAR that regulation should be enforced. Fish cages per se is not the culprit of the declining water quality in the lake, but the lack of proper knowledge on how to rear and feed the cultured fish. I have been tapped initially to be part of those who drafted the Management Plan, however, previous commitments have limited my participation. Sec. Atienza is going on the opposite extreme by saying that fish cages should be removed totally (I am still waiting what happens to Laguna de Bay, which has already fallen victim to unregulated fish cage proliferation and domestic pollution), but I do hope that a compromise would be met by all sectors concerned halfway. Though personally, I’d rather have a fish cage free Taal, but that would lead to the starvation of the families that depend on it for survival, so I’m ok with a stricter, more scientifically sound, management of the fish cages in the lake.
Again, congratulations on the article and I hope to read more good quality stories on the state of our biodiversity from you!
Rey Donne S. Papa, M.Sc.
Department of Biological Sciences
Room 327, Main Building
University of Santo Tomas
kat
September 19th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Gud Day
I am a college student and now I am doing a research paper about the fish poisoning issue at Taal Lake specifically the Tawilis. May anyone post a document from the DENR abut this issue?
Anyway I want to visit the site,How can I get there??
Thank you!