Dear Friends,
OVERVIEW
“Illegal Fishing in our rivers and waters”
What did we find in our rivers this week?
Unfortunately for us this week, we found different groups in Punggol near Sungei, and many different fishers in the Marina Reservoir. It is greatly disappointing to see, as fishing in the non-fishing zones can result in severe cases of overfishing, which can reduce the population of fish in the reservoir, which helps to support the biodiversity, from maintaining different plant species in the rivers, or providing as source of food for varies wildlife native to Singapore, including otters.
We tried to approach some of the fishers, to encourage them to stop fishing, as it is illegal to do so. To our dismay, they were highly dismissive and indifferent to us, and made up excuses as to why they could continue to fish. These cases are an important reminder to why protecting our rivers is highly important, and that we must all stay vigilant and work together to protect our river’s highly fragile ecosystems. One teenager even mentioned that they”run when they see PUB boat approaching” and another mentioned “this area normally no kayakers come and it is safe. I know because I kayak here.”. So much for rules and guidelines. We strongly suggest that all water users should be reminded of the basic rules while enjoying our reservoir waters- Do Not Litter, Respect Fishing Zones, Be always courteous to other users and Take more Ownership by reporting sightings of litter and pollution.
Summary of Activities conducted for the Week
In summary, the following activities were done for this week:
- a. We conducted 11 CSR and 1 VIA programs which were attended by 263 participants, and together they collected a total of 289 kg of litter.
- b. This week a total of 48 members were involved in CSR/VIA programs, talk, patrols, administration, housekeeping duties, and training.
- c. The total trash collected by the patrol groups was 84 kg.
- i. Boat Patrol. 8 boat patrols were carried out; 3 at Marina, 3 at Punggol, and 1 at Lakeside.
- ii. Bike Patrol. A total of 6 Bike patrols were carried out; 4 at Marina, and 2 at Lakeside.
- iii. Pedal boat Patrol. 2 Pedal Boat patrol was conducted at Marina.
- iv. Foot Patrol. 2 Foot patrols were carried out; 1 at Lakeside, 1 at Pang Sua.
Once again, we thank all members and volunteers, who came for patrol or for facilitating the CSR/VIA programs, for your time and dedication to the task.
ACTIVITIES AND REPORT
1. Educational Programmes
2. Volunteer Patrols & Activities
a. Marina
b. Punggol
c. Lakeside
d. Pang Sua Pond
