MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has lifted the fishing ban imposed in San Fernando town in Romblon province and narrowed down the no fishing zone to five kilometers from where MV Princess of the Stars capsized, QTV's Balitanghali reported Tuesday.
GMA News' Bernadette Reyes reported that a group from the BFAR arrived Tuesday morning to put the markers in the no-fishing zone.
The report said the BFAR group immediately met with barangay (village) officials of San Fernando to announce the lifting of the fishing ban and explain the new restriction.
The report quoted BFAR personnel as saying that only six fishermen from their group will be allowed to get aquatic products, which will be used as samples, inside the five-kilometer radius no fishing zone.
The five-kilometer radius covers a river in Taclobo village and Olango river in España village, both in San Fernando.
The BFAR personnel said that since June 29 when they started examining the fishes from the waters off San Fernando, all the samples were tested negative of endosulfan contamination.
The BFAR group expects to put the markers before the end of the day to guide the fishermen when they go out to the sea.
The report said San Fernando Mayor Nanette Tansingco appealed to her constituents not to be afraid of eating fish despite a reported death of one of their constituents.
Tansingco was quoted as saying that doctors were yet to give a report on the cause of the death but signs and symptoms exhibited by the patient did not indicate endosulfan poisoning.
The report quoted BFAR personnel as saying that fishes in the waters of Sibuyan are safe to eat provided they were caught outside the five-kilometer no-fishing zone.
The report said authorities advised residents to clean the fish thoroughly and remove the intestines and gills.
Government agencies implemented a fishing ban after learning that the capsized ship was loaded with toxic pesticide, endosulfan.
MV Princess of the Stars capsized off the waters of Sibuyan at the height of typhoon Frank on June 21. Of the 866 passengers and crew on board the ship when the incident happened, only 57 survived the tragedy. - GMANews.TV