MANILA — Almost half of marginal fishers in some Luzon provinces have halted their fishing operations due to rising fuel costs, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura said.

Speaking at a Senate Committee on Agriculture hearing, SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet said about 50% of fishers in Cavite, Bataan, Zambales, and Pangasinan have stopped going out to sea following the latest oil price hikes on April 7.

“Last week, before the third major increase, about 30% had already stopped fishing. This week, after Tuesday’s hike, it rose to nearly 50%,” Cainglet told lawmakers.

He noted that the impact on consumers has not yet been fully felt because commercial fishers continue to supply the market. For those still fishing, catches have dropped to just 5 to 10 kilograms per trip, as fuel costs now make traveling farther unaffordable.

Fuel expenses have tripled, Cainglet added, accounting for roughly 80% of production costs.

Oil companies implemented another round of significant pump price hikes on Tuesday, marking the 13th consecutive week of increases for gasoline and the 15th for diesel and kerosene amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

The Department of Agriculture has begun distributing P3,000 fuel vouchers to more than 46,000 municipal fishers nationwide and is considering a P10-per-kilogram subsidy for commercial fishers’ catch.

However, Cainglet said the fuel subsidy is “too small” and noted that some fishers face difficulties meeting the requirements to qualify.

“If assistance needs to be given through the intervention of the Senate and Congress, it should be provided immediately to those who can no longer go out to sea and whose catch is no longer being bought,” he said.

“We’re not counting weeks or months—we’re counting days. They will suffer if this continues without comprehensive and targeted support,” Cainglet added.