The town of Aparri is concerned over reports that a Chinese company may resume dredging activities at the mouth of the Cagayan River.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo, Aparri Mayor Bryan Chan expressed that local fishermen’s livelihoods were negatively impacted, as the dredging operations disturbed the fish, driving them away from the area.
However, since the operations stopped months ago, fishing activity has slowly begun to recover.
Mayor Chan emphasized that the residents oppose the return of dredging because it harms marine life, which in turn affects the fishermen’s livelihood and the environment.
The local government has sent a letter to the provincial government of Cagayan to express their opposition to the rumored return of dredging operations.
Chan stressed that resuming the operations would cause significant problems, and he hopes they will not return.
Currently, the dredging operations have ceased, and there are no ships in the area.
The mayor assured that his office will not grant permission for any further dredging at the mouth of the Cagayan River.
Chan also mentioned that the local government is providing support to the fishermen.
At present, a close season is in effect for shrimp harvesting, a major product in Aparri, to sustain the town’s annual Aramang Festival.
The shrimp harvesting ban has been enforced from September 1 to November 15 every year since 2015.
According to Mayor Chan, there are over 12,000 registered fisherfolk in Aparri.
It is worth noting that the initial dredging in the Cagayan River was aimed at removing sandbars and deepening the river to improve water flow and prevent flooding upstream.