Both child divers and coral reef abused
Both child divers and coral reef abused
By Adam Easton
PALAWAN, South-western Philippines: Hundreds of children in
the Philippines are being forced to work under barbaric
conditions doing a type of fishing which destroys coral reefs.
In a country where child labor is not uncommon, and fishing
with dynamite and cyanide has already taken a heavy toll on the
reefs, human rights groups and environmentalists are campaigning
to end the destructive fishing known as pa-aling.
Children as young as 13 are recruited to be divers, although
under law diving is considered a "hazardous" occupation and only
for those aged 18 or over. For eight hours a day the divers are
forced to dive down 50ft to the reefs, where they scare out the
fish using lead- weighted hoses which belch out compressed air.
Many pa-aling operators fish off Palawan, the island known as
the Philippines' "final frontier" because much of its environment
remains untouched.
Although they had been hired on a 10-month contract, 29 divers
including eight minors on a vessel called the F/B Unity hatched a
plan to escape after six weeks because of ill-treatment. Junne
Cadiente, aged 17, said: "Sometimes when we made mistakes our
supervisors whipped us with a rope almost the size of a wrist. I
was whipped because I misplaced the hose.
"I got sick while at sea. They made me work when I was ill,
even though I didn't feel strong enough to work."
Most of the divers were recruited from farming areas which
suffered droughts brought on by El Nio. With their crops
devastated, the offer of a job and a 3,000 peso (US$75) advance
seemed attractive.
The labor secretary, Bienvenido Leguesma, said some fishing
operators accused of mistreating minors have had criminal charges
filed against them. However, many divers are too scared to give
evidence,, said Grizelda Mayu-Anda of the Environmental Legal
Assistance Center. "The boat owners usually have powerful
backers. One fishing company is part-owned by a former
congressman. The divers are afraid their families will be
harassed or killed if they testify," she said.
"Pa-aling is very destructive because it's very efficient,"
said Rodolfo Reyes, a research associate at the International
Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management. "It just sucks up
everything that's in its way. It's impossible for a reef to
replenish the fish taken out at that rate."
The case of the 29 escaped divers has prompted congress to
call for an investigation which could lead to tougher
legislation. At present most fishing operators who hire minors
get a small fine and temporary closure.
-- Guardian News Service