Offshore staff
(Asia-Pacific) - Six Filipino lawmakers have filed for a congressional inquiry into the exploration activities by Japanese Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. (Japex) and Forum Exploration Inc. of Canada in the Tanon Strait, citing potential danger to marine ecology, whales, dolphins, and local fishermen.
House Resolution 1005 challenges the two companies' 25-year concession to explore the strait, a narrow channel about 3 km deep and 185 km long, which is a major fishing ground and was declared protected area under Republic Act 7686 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System law.
The two companies were using high-voltage air guns to explore the seabeds with huge boats with long cables and pipes spread around the strait, endangering the marine ecology.
The lawmakers said the two companies have threatened to impose fines ranging from $366 to $1,098 on fishermen caught poaching in their concession areas.
Fishermen's daily catch has dropped to 3 to 5 kg from 20 to 30 kg since the exploration activity began in May, they claimed.
The strait has an estimated 1 Bbbl of hydrocarbon reserves.
11/10/05
