THE Municipal Government of E.B. Magalona in Negros Occidental is stepping up its effort to further boost the town’s blue crab industry, its top official said.
Mayor Marvin Malacon said Monday that the local government has recognized the need for assistance to small fishermen in the town amid the monopoly of non-resident capitalists.
Malacon said the flourishing blue crab industry has been benefiting more, not the local fishermen, but those “kumprador” outside of E.B. Magalona.
“We want to make a move so that the products coming from the fishermen are linked directly to the buyers in just prices thus, exploitation by middlemen is prevented,” the mayor added.
E.B. Magalona has seven blue crab-rich barangays, including Latasan, Tuburan, Gahit, Madalag, Manta-angan, Tomongtong, and Pasil.
The town is currently the biggest producer of blue crab meat in the province, with an export capacity of about five to 10 tons per year. Its season is from May to December.
Aside from putting up a processing plant that will benefit local fishermen, the local government also plans to provide financing assistance like loan without interest to the residents as source of start-up capital.
Blue crab products of E.B. Magalona will also be highlighted during the Seafood Festival, which the municipal government will be staging in December, Malacon said.
Moreover, to achieve long-term sustainability of the industry, the town is pushing for strong implementation of regulations on marine resources preservation and conservation.
“We will draft an ordinance that will strictly implement banning of the product especially during non-season or breeding period,” Malacon said, adding that fishermen will then be constrained to use other fishing gears to ensure production growth of blue crabs and other aquatic resources.
