Posted on February, 29 2012

The recent killing of 15 tuna handline fishers off a remote island in Basilan, Southern Philippines was a result of a turf war, according to ABC News, quoting a government official.

It is a terrible thing, and not unexpected.

Over the past few years, conflicts over fishing territories between and among fishing sectors have escalated, resulting in arrests, jailing, deportation of fishers, and in some cases, sinking of boats—almost a weekly occurrence in South and Southeast Asia.

There is no other word for it, this was a massacre and the massacred fishers reportedly came from a distant fishing village whose fishing grounds have long been unproductive. They travelled great distances to look for fish and chanced upon this rich fishing ground diligently protected by the local people, and stole the fish.

The fishers, in particular the handline fishers, are a patient and resilient lot judging by the nature of their profession. Waiting for hours for a fish to take a bait, fishers would not resort to such a heinous act of taking someone’s life unless it was for them, life threatening. It was highly probable that poaching warnings have been issued but ignored.

Such violence over fish raises the issue of fisheries conflict to a higher level. It brings to the surface the ugly head of mismanaged fisheries resources – and the role coastal fisheries play in food security - that governments have for so long taken for granted. In this case, governments have failed to protect the resources of their own people and prevent others from using it.

The sad reality is that this tragedy will not be the last. As many more fishing grounds become depleted, many others will continue to look elsewhere for fish and at any cost. And for the few who have protected their own resources, protecting them from poachers will become an even greater challenge.

This incident brings to the core the true value of attaining sustainability of (fisheries) resources: it is an assurance of peace.

Dr Jose Ingles
Tuna Strategy Leader
WWF Coral Triangle Program