In the West Philippine Sea, Chinese aggression has displaced Filipino fisherfolk, causing income loss and environmental threats. Despite local regulations, illegal Chinese fishing persists. Initiatives like LAYAG-WPS offer support, while partnerships with USAID enhance monitoring and enforcement against illegal fishing.
The world is seeing high seas drama in the disputed West Philippine Sea, parts of the South China Sea that are included in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which has escalated in recent years due to China’s aggressive actions.
The conflict has slashed the income of fisherfolk as they no longer have the same freedom of access to their traditional fishing grounds as they used to have. With the Chinese militia chasing them away, and Chinese fishing vessels moving in to fish, effectively engaging in illegal fishing in the Philippines’ sovereign waters in the EEZ.
Filipino fishermen are thus forced to find their livelihood in the open sea, which costs more fuel and less certainty of catching fish, leaving fisherfolks in a vicious cycle of debt.
