Legislature passes bill to ban scuba fishing

A bill that bans scuba fishing is headed to Adelup after senators pass the measure while supporters and opponents of it crowded the Guam Congress Hall.

Senator Sabina Perez's scuba fishing ban bill - cosponsored by Sen. Clynt Ridgell - passed 13-2 today as proponents and opponents of the measure gathered at the Guam Congress Hall for one last push before senators voted.
Only republican Sens. Jim Moylan and Louise Muna voted against the bill, which bans fishing while using scuba gear. Even having fish and scuba gear together in the same vessel could catch you a case.

Opponents of the bill parked a boat outside the legislature and reiterated arguments they presented at the bill's public hearing.
Paul Villanueva owns a fish store, and he tells KUAM if senators want to protect species they say are being targeted by fishermen using scuba, nothing is stopping them.

"If you want protect the tanguisson and atuhong, I've been telling them to pass laws protecting the tanguisson and atuhong. You can catch it also on a free dive," he said.

Meanwhile, a supporter of the bill, Ron Laguana, II, said it's easy to see why those who oppose a scuba ban have fought so hard against one over the years.
"They either own a fish market or out there making some profit off of it, us," he said. "We're sustainable fishermen, we go out and we take what we need for our food and out family. These guys do it for money, so obviously they're going to fight against it."

But scuba fisherman Jon Deloso said the government needs to do a better job of managing the island's natural resources before hitting scuba fishermen where it hurts.

"They're responsible for the erosion, the pollution," he said. "What have they done? Fishermen-us-we're a scapegoat for bad management."

And while those who support the scuba ban say scuba fishermen wipe out fish stocks, Roman Edquilane said he wouldn't have been able to fish for over 40 years if he was wiping out all of the fish.


"That's why we are able to come back to it time and time again, that's why we been doing it this long," he said.

An amendment added by Sen. Therese Terlaje will mandate the Department of Agriculture to report on the status of hiring two additional conservation officers, which they have not done even though senators authorized it in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. The additional officers would address concerns brought up by the department and fishermen that a ban on fishing in preserves wasn't being enforced.

Meanwhile, Laguana, II tells KUAM the scuba lobby has kept similar measures from passing in previous legislatures, but he said it was "imperative" that senators pass the bill today to protect natural resources for the future.


"Obviously, they're commercializing it so every day you guys with boats going out launching with tanks commercializing fishing - and it's unsustainable," he said. "This is a destructive method of harvest we should stick to a more traditional breath hold which allows the fish stock to replenish."

The ban in Bill 53 has been adopted in 63 nations, including the CNMI, Sen. Perez said.