QuestionsQuestions (BIR REVENUE MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 59 - 2008)
The title is 'Rules and Regulations Governing Fishing and Other Related Activities, including the Construction and Operation of Fish Cages at the Magat Reservoir in Ramon, Isabela.'
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is authorized to manage, protect, develop, and rehabilitate the watershed area of Magat Reservoir.
Magat Reservoir is a man-made body of water formed by the construction of the Magat High Dam Complex, located in the Cordillera Central Mountain Range, extending about 50 kilometers upstream, and is not part of "Municipal Waters" under P.D. 704.
Permitted fishing gears include Gill Net (Sigay), Long Line (Kitang), Cast Net (Tabukol), Bobo (Serreg) fish traps, Pole & Line (Liwliw), and Spear.
Qualified applicants include Filipino citizens of legal age who are duly registered fisherfolk in reservoir towns of Isabela, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya; Research institutions engaged in fishery development; Registered fisherfolk associations, corporations, and cooperatives; and other local resident aggrupations supported by the government.
Violators may be fined up to P5,000 per offense, forfeiture of bond, cancellation of permits, confiscation of fishing boats if contraband or illegal goods are found, and criminal prosecution for illegal fishing methods such as explosives, poison, or electrofishing.
Fishing permits for small-scale commercial and sustenance fishing are valid from January to December each year; sport fishing permits may be valid for one, three, or seven days. Fish cage permits are valid for one year from January to December, subject to renewal.
Fishing permit fees vary: Small-scale commercial fishing is P200/year, sustenance fishing is P50/year, and sport fishing fees range from P10 per day to P50 for seven days. Fish cage permit fees are P2.00 per square meter annually, with surcharges for late payments. An O & M fee of P0.50 per kilogram of fish landed is also charged.
Restrictions include prohibiting fish cages outside designated areas, no fishing or boats allowed in fish sanctuary zones, no fish pen construction, minimum distances between cages, prohibition of floating houses of semi-permanent type, no raising animals in floating houses, and limits on fishing gear lengths and mesh size.
Applicants must submit a map indicating the project site, certification of bona fide residence (if applicable), ID picture, residence certificate, and recommendation from the Purok Leader.
The permittee must immediately inform the NIA in writing about the mass death of fish and comply with directives from NIA. In case of calamities or force majeure, the permittee shall report the extent of damages immediately.
Failure to pay the annual fee results in surcharges increasing quarterly (10%, 15%, 20%, 30%). If unpaid after one year, the permit will be cancelled and the fish cages dismantled.