For decades, the fisherfolk of Mambacayao Island — a small islet that is part of the Bantayan Group of Islands in Northern Cebu — depended on the rich Tañon Strait for their livelihood.

John Ortega said that in the past, the small boats that he and other fishermen used would almost capsize from the weight of the 20 kilos of fish that each of them caught daily. They would sell their haul of groupers, mackerel, herring, and even manta rays and baby sharks in the local markets and some they’d whip into sumptuous dishes at home.

Now, he said they would be lucky to get two kilos from a whole day out at sea. What are now caught in their nets are mostly plastic and other garbage that are contaminating one of the largest marine protected areas in the country.

“Before, we would only see that on TV images of turtles that have straws in their noses,” Ortega said. “Now when we cut open some fish, we would find traces of plastic. [We’re] worried that we’ve been eating contaminated fish.”

Science is backing his fears. A 2021 study by the Coastal Resources and Ecotourism Research, Development and Extension Center (Crerdec) of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) have found traces of microplastics, or plastic debris, in at least 10 marine sites across the archipelago.