Subic resort alarmed by fishing contest in protected waters
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT—A local beach resort, known for its conservation efforts here, has sounded the alarm over the inaugural Subic Bay Shore Fishing Tournament set for this coming Friday to Sunday.
In a letter to the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Tourism Department on July 18, Brighterday Subic Ltd., Inc., the operator of All Hands Beach, strongly opposed the event, warning it could disturb a fish breeding ground and nearby marine sanctuary.
The planned tournament venue along the waters of Bernardino Road lies within the resort’s conservation area and borders a Marine Sustainable Use Zone, where fishing is strictly prohibited.
All Hands Beach is among seven major sites inside the free port identified by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as nesting grounds for sea turtles. Since opening in 2012, the resort has released about 11,000 sea turtle hatchlings.
It has also partnered with the environmental group Sangkalikasan to augment coral reefs in Subic Bay, helping to revive near-shore ecosystems damaged by unregulated human activities.
‘No coordination’
In 2017 and 2022, the resort signed agreements with SBMA, DENR, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to sustain its conservation programs.
Armina Llamas, officer in charge of the SBMA deputy administrator for corporate communications office, said the tournament organizers failed to secure the necessary permit from SBMA Ecology.
“But prior to that, they supposedly presented it to the SBMA board. During our meeting, we learned that they didn’t have a permit from [SBMA] Ecology yet,” Llamas said.
Rosell Abuyo, officer in charge of the SBMA Ecology Center, confirmed the matter was still under discussion. The Ecology Center is responsible for protecting the environment and natural resources within the free port.
Change of venue
Arvee Vivas, a consultant for the event organizers, acknowledged that while they had obtained permits from SBMA Tourism, their application with SBMA Ecology was still pending due to ongoing transitions within the department.
“There was a verbal approval way back in January because the area was about to be opened for recreational fishing, so before opening it to the public, we proposed a tournament first just [to] test the area and see if it was productive or if the fishing there was good,” said Vivas in a phone interview.
He added, “The truth is, we don’t know anything about the protected areas, and while we were proposing the tournament, it was [the] SBMA who suggested the area.”
Following a meeting with the SBMA on Monday, Vivas said organizers have started identifying alternative sites for the tournament. However, the event will still proceed on Saturday and Sunday.
Vivas also assured the public that organizers are environmentally conscious.
