Rural Fishermen

Composed of roughly 7,107 islands, the Philippine Archipelago has one of the longest national shorelines in the world. With the Pacific Ocean to the east and the South China Sea out to the west, the country is completely surrounded by water, both outside its boundaries and within its land. Primarily a farming and fishing country, the Philippines offers numerous places to launch fishing operations.

Despite the apparent enormity of the opportunities for fishing in the region, the local fishermen still endure a hard life. It's a lifestyle characterized by poverty usually brought about by a lack of education and the proper financial backing to help an investment grow.

Most native fishermen still live in a state of poverty. Dwelling in simple huts by the seashore, such homes are devoid of modern comforts. These peasants of the seas don't have very much in the way of material wealth. A simple collection of the basic necessities of life (clothing, shelter, food, etc.) and maybe a couple of boats stocked with one or two large fishing nets make up their net worth.

A good number of them tend fish farms instead of going out to sea. Unfortunately, many of these farms are technically owned by larger entities such as fishing industry magnates or corporations. The fishermen get only a little percentage of what their hands have toiled. The rest of the bountiful harvest goes to the owners who sit back and wait for the profits to come.

Unlike their Western counterparts, many of the country’s fishermen do not have access to quality education. In other parts of the fishing world, modern scientific knowledge has equipped fishermen with the proper knowledge that enables them to make the most out of their marine farms and harvests.

Whether it is brought about by extreme poverty or a general lack of educational resources in the rural areas where these fishermen live, the fact remains that many local fishermen do not possess the knowledge that their Western counterparts do. As a result, inefficient and sometimes dangerous fishing methods (such as dynamite fishing) are carried out. Some fail to pay attention to the possible consequences some of these actions might bring in the future.

Competition is another frightening facet of reality for the poor fisherman. The larger fishing companies simply dwarf the smaller fishermen. Large shipping boats with their enormous harvesting nets push out the smaller boats. A large part of the produce goes to these huge ships. Not much is left to the locals.

The local fisherman is decades behind modern technology. Because of poverty and lack of resources, there are still those who rely on old canoes or small diesel-powered boats. Although most of them go out to sea in groups, they still do not have any chance of competing when the bigger ships arrive.

With regards to the environment, the destruction of marine life and aquatic resources (e.g. dynamite fishing) have a direct impact on the local fishing industry. Dead fish do not necessarily count as produce and is considered illegal by the government.

Adding to all of this are the seeds of corruption that grow in the government. Sometimes, fishermen, like many other people living in poverty or hardship, are abused by those in power. Unjust wages, price-fixing, and monopolies all contribute to the harsh treatment these people receive.

The scenario centers on the fisherman. After all, he is the core - the heartbeat of the industry. In the end, he is the one that ultimately hauls the fish from the sea and onto the land. He plays an important role in the life of the country. The fisherman feeds the nation.

It's the fishermen who need empowerment. Empower him with vital knowledge about his work, technologies to improve his trade, and a sense of importance, and he in turn will progress a native industry. It will lead him to a better harvest along one of the longest shorelines in the world.

Dynamite Fishing: A method wherein fishermen toss sticks of dynamite into the water. The fish killed in the explosion float to the surface, thus becoming easy pickings. But this method destroys coral reefs. Without this important part of the underwater ecosystem, the growth and development of marine life would be affected in a number of ways and valuable fish could disappear.