Pangasinan town to clear rivers of fish pens
BINMALEY, PANGASINAN —Rolando Aquino, 62, still rows out each afternoon to set his “pasabing,” a traditional bamboo fish trap along the Nagpalangan River, hoping for a small daily catch that earns him about P100 to P300.
But this routine livelihood is now under threat as the local government prepares to dismantle all fish traps, pens, and similar structures in the town’s rivers starting May 15 as part of efforts to rehabilitate waterways and improve navigation.
The order, issued under Executive Order No. 36-2023, directs barangay officials to lead the removal of structures that obstruct river channels and buffer zones. Notices posted along the rivers informed operators that fishery installations will no longer be allowed to remain in place.
Municipal officials said the initiative is aimed at addressing worsening river conditions, including siltation, pollution, illegal structures, and obstruction of water flow—issues that they claim have contributed to flooding and environmental degradation.
Records from the municipal agriculture office showed that about 200 fishery structures operate across Binmaley’s river systems, which traverse 26 of the town’s 33 barangays.
Social impact
However, fisherfolk groups, including the Samahan ng Magbabangus sa Pangasinan (Samapa), have raised concerns over the social impact of the policy.
While acknowledging the need for rehabilitation, the group warned that immediate removal without a transition plan could severely affect small-scale operators.
In a letter to Mayor Pedro Merrera III in September last year, Samapa said river degradation has been driven by multiple factors, including overcrowded fish pens, pollution, and unregulated development.
However, it stressed that fisherfolk depend heavily on these structures for daily survival.
“A sudden removal of the structures without a transition plan threatens to displace these workers and exacerbate the current economic challenges facing our community,” the letter signed by Samapa chair Christopher Sibayan stated.
No alternative income
The group reiterated its appeal in a separate letter to the municipal council on May 4, noting that many operators have no alternative income source and will be hardest hit by the policy.
Mayor Merrera, however, said the LGU has long communicated the plan, adding that consultations and extensions have been repeatedly granted over the past two years.
“Every time we set a deadline, they ask for more time to harvest. We have been patient, but we can no longer keep extending it,” he told the Inquirer.
He clarified that the removal is not necessarily permanent, noting that a new ordinance will be drafted to regulate future river use.
Under the proposed framework, fishery activities may be allowed again under lease agreements, size limitations, and designated relocation areas.
The mayor added that clearing the rivers will also improve safety and open the possibility of using waterways for transport, especially during emergencies.
Officials also pointed out that many fish pen operators have been using river spaces without paying taxes or securing permits, which they said is unfair to legal fishpond owners who comply with regulations.
Environmental concerns were cited by Lune Quinto, 53, a caretaker of three fish pens along the river in Barangay Gayaman, saying that that fish pen operators from Dagupan had been encroaching on Binmaley waters.
Public hearings on the proposed ordinance were held earlier this month, where stakeholders attended discussions but expressed cautious acceptance after being assured of possible relocation and return under regulated conditions.
Municipal Administrator Franco Francisco said operators may later be allowed to resume activities under stricter guidelines, including lease contracts with the LGU and a standard allocation of around 300 square meters per family in designated areas.
Despite assurances, some fisherfolk remain uncertain. Others pointed out that upstream pollution from neighboring towns continues to affect their waters, complicating rehabilitation efforts.
For Aquino, the policy represents the possible end of a livelihood he has known all his life.
Still, like many small fishers along the river, he waits each day at dusk—knowing that soon, even the waters that sustained his family for decades may no longer hold the same future.
