The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has declared safe for human consumption fish products from Naic, Ternate, Kawit, and Maragondon in Cavite province, following an oil spill in Bataan.

BFAR conducted sensory evaluations on three batches of fish products and other fishery species from August 7 to 21, 2024 and all three batches passed the tests.

In contrast, fish products from Bacoor City, Cavite City, Noveleta, Rosario, and Tanza failed to pass the sensory evaluations and are still not safe for human consumption.

The provincial government of Cavite has also sought P10 million in compensation from the owner of MTKR Terranova, the company responsible for the oil spill, due to the damage it caused to the livelihood of fishermen in the area.

According to BFAR, around 28,000 fishermen were affected by the oil spill, resulting in a daily income loss of P9.8 million.

BFAR’s declaration of safety for fish products from Naic, Ternate, Kawit, and Maragondon is a welcome development for the affected fishermen and the local community.