BFAR-7: Damage caused by Ursula in fishery sector reaches P14.98M

Motorbancas, some of them damaged, are seen at the shoreline of Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu, a day after Typhoon Ursula hit the northern part of Cebu. | file photo, contributed by PCG-7

CEBU CITY,  Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR-7) has initially recorded P14.98 million worth of damage in the fishery sector due to Typhoon Ursula.

BFAR-7 Public Information Officer Alma Saavedra said that they had also recorded around 255 fisherfolks that were affected from nine local government units (LGUs) in the province.

Read more: Ursula-hit Daanbantayan appeals for help

These LGUs included the municipalities of Santa Fe, Bantayan, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabogon, Compostela and Asturias and the City of Bogo.

Saavedra added that there were 119 motorized pumpboats and 12 non-motorized pumpboats that were also damaged because of the typhoon.

“Most of the damage were from seaweeds. Kining atong guso about 8.5 hectares in totality ang na-damage sa Northern Cebu, and sa atong mga banca this has yet to be revalidated kay duna namay advice bitaw nga dunay incoming nga bagyo,” he said.

Read more: Typhoon Ursula leaves trail of destruction in Medellin; total damage reaches P41.2-M

Most of the damage were from seaweed. And about 8.5 hectares of guso, a local seaweed, have been damaged in northern Cebu. And for the bancas, this has yet to be revalidated because we have given fishermen advice of an incoming storm.)

“Ang among na-wonder nganong ingon kadaghan ang motorized boats nga na-damage nga duna namay advice. We were expecting that ila na intawon gipanghipos unta ilang mga boats,” Saavedra said.

(We wondered why there were so many motorized bancas that were damaged when we have given them fair warning about the storm. We were expecting that they had secured their boats.)

Saavedra, however, said that they were still waiting for the damage report from other LGUs so that they could conduct a revalidation.

The agency will also allocate funds to provide assistance to the affected fisherfolks.

Read more: BFAR-7 hatchery in Medellin town destroyed by Ursula

“While di pa maabot ang rehab funds we will be using our regular funds to assist them, kay naa man pud mga cages, naay mga fishponds. Siguro initially we can start with the fingerlings nga among mahatag sa fishpond as a start ug katong seaweeds propagules ang katong 20 material sa seaweeds,” he said.

(While waiting for the rehab funds to be released, we will be using our regular funds to assist them because they have fish cages, and other have fishponds. Perhaps, initially, we can start with the fingerlings that we can give to the fishpond owners as a start and seaweed propagules for the seaweed growers.)/dbs