Investigation of Illegal Philippine Blast Fishing Premiers on BBC World

On 19 May 2007, “Blast,” an Earth Report documentary film that chronicles the illegal blast fishing industry in the Philippines, was broadcast on BBC World to an audience of millions worldwide. The film, written and directed by filmmaker Douglas Varchol and sponsored in part by INECE and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development (IGSD), takes a closer look at the use of explosives to harvest fish, a criminal practice that is quickly decimating the rich, fragile ecosystem of the Visayan Sea.

The film focuses on the courageous battle of Jo Jo de la Victoria, a local government official who, along with INECE Executive Planning Committee member Tony Oposa, formed the Visayan Sea Squadron in 2004 to guard against blast fishermen. The Squadron’s boats patrol the seas and conduct inspections of fish ready to be sold at the local markets to determine whether or not they have been caught illegally using blast fishing techniques. While some locals began to understand the principles behind the enforcement of the fishing laws, others clearly saw Jo Jo and the Visayan Sea Squadron as a grave threat to their business. After a particularly successful raid in April 2006, a hired assassin murdered Jo Jo in his home.

Jo Jo’s murder was a great blow to the Cebu City community where he lived and worked, but it did not discourage the members of the Squadron; rather it made them even more determined to bring the blast fishermen to justice. As Tony Oposa declares in the film, “One of us has left but leaves us a message. And the message is: if you who have ordered his killing think that you have extinguished the fire of our fervor, you have only fanned the flames of passion.”

The film explores Jo Jo and Tony’s innovative approach to combat blast fishing: an educational program that teaches local fishermen, their families, and others in the community about the importance of protecting the Visayan Sea and encouraging sustainable fishing practices. Besides drawing attention to the preservation of the sea’s biodiversity, the program stresses another pressing issue: the survival of many people in these small communities will depend largely on the health of the sea and the fish that inhabit it.

“Jo Jo de la Victoria’s murder shocked and saddened all of us,” said Durwood Zaelke, Director of the INECE Secretariat, “But his heroism, and Tony Oposa’s, as evident through this poignant film, continue to inspire those around the world fighting similar battles.”

For more information about “Blast,” please visit TVe's Information Page on Blast or TVe's Catalogue and Order Form.