Blast Fishing in The Philippines
Theremena-Chevy Bateria Fernandez
Communities within the coastal village once thrived on the sea, previously using traditional fishing methods for obtaining food. Over the years, blast fishing has become the common usage of fishing practices among locals. Explosions beneath the beautiful waves shattered the delicate marine life, diminishing the once-plentiful fish stocks. Within each blast, the vibrant coral reefs disintegrated, but the livelihood of local fishermen also was decimated. This cruel paradox that provided many fishermen with short-term gains resulted in the long-term consequences of food insecurity for their people. Having lived in the Philippines in my early years, I have personally witnessed how food insecurity impacted my family and community after analyzing the environmental, societal, cultural, and ecological consequences of blast fishing in the Philippines. I've established that Blast fishing causes extensive harm to the marine ecosystem and poses a serious and immediate threat to the well-being of communities in the Philippines. I have determine that it stands out as a major contributor to food insecurity, particularly affecting those who depend on ocean life for sustenance. For my contribution to my group project, I aim to emphasize the pressing necessity for sustainable fishing practices in the Philippines. This is crucial not only to safeguard marine environments but also to promote food security in the region.
For our final project, our group opted for a quilt project. The concept involves each group member contributing a quilt square, symbolizing something different and unique to them. The overarching idea is that when all our squares are combined into one blanket, it mirrors the diverse and distinct perspectives within our class. Just as the combination of individual squares results in a powerful and beautiful quilt, the merging of individuals in a group creates something impactful and harmonious.
For my square, I selected a theme that reflects my cultural background, particularly considering the profound impact of climate change on the Philippines. I decided to craft a quilt using the colors that represent the Philippines—red, yellow, blue, and white. I intended to convey the issue of food insecurity within the context of dynamite fishing. I incorporated a yellow picnic basket, within which resides a bottle symbolizing the use of dynamite, while a fish is encapsulated in a bubble. Around them, a swirling string serves as a safeguard, with buttons scattered to represent the presence of plastics in the water. I aimed to bring attention to the problematic fishing method in the Philippines while maintaining an abstract quality in my artwork to allow viewers their interpretations. Employing environmentally conscious practices, I utilized recycled materials, giving a new life to old shirts and pants in the creation of my quilt.
What makes blast fishing a concern? As the term suggests, blast fishing involves the use of explosives thrown into the water, destroying hard coral structures. This, in turn, diminishes the habitats of numerous marine species that depend on coral reefs for survival (Hampton-Smith et al., 2021). So what has been done about it? Traditional strategies have employed an enforcement method, attempting to apprehend blast fishermen while they are at sea. However, this approach proves ineffective due to its simplistic nature. Major concerns with this method include the fact that fishermen frequently coordinate their dynamite fishing expeditions based on the patrol's schedule, engage in blasting activities during nighttime when detection is more challenging, and, if apprehended, many fishermen dispose of incriminating evidence by discarding items into the ocean, complicating prosecution efforts (Chan and Hodgson).
Art is a frequently underestimated solution in addressing this issue. When executed thoughtfully, visual storytelling emerges as a powerful instrument for heightening awareness and serves as a persuasive means to encourage officials to adopt more effective approaches. The ebook, “The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Art, Visual Culture, and Climate Change,” which I also read in class is a perfect example of this. The book provides a thorough examination of how artistic expressions serve as powerful tools for raising awareness and fostering activism in the realm of climate change. Drawing on diverse perspectives and case studies, the book illustrates how artists actively address and engage with the complex issues surrounding climate change. One artist from the book who caught my attention and inspired me was Andreas Rutkauskas. His video installation, titled 'Oil!,' takes on a disorganized artistic approach to perplex the audience, where components may not always seem interconnected. I believe that this kind of art, invoking a sense of eeriness, can be beneficial for raising awareness about the issue of blast fishing. I intend to incorporate a degree of disorganization in my work to evoke feelings of unease, potentially encouraging individuals to feel more compelled to take action on the issue. In addition to drawing inspiration from the artist mentioned in the book, "Didn't Know," a poem by activist and Aamjiwnaang First Nation member Ada Lockridge, also greatly influenced my approach to the final project. The impactful words of the poem inspired me to shift my focus towards communities rather than solely concentrating on the source of the issue, blast fishing, as it vividly depicted the profound impact of oil companies on these communities.
The other sources of inspiration for my quilt square are "Diane, Burko: Seeing Climate Change" and "Arctic: Culture and Climate." The former delves into Diane Burko's extensive collection of large-scale paintings, showcasing her artistic prowess. One standout creation is the remarkable 56-foot-long world map series, which addresses the intricate challenges posed by climate change through a fusion of scientific perspectives and visual artistry. The book unfolds with over 120 visually captivating color illustrations, offering profound insights into Burko's adept incorporation of climate change themes without succumbing to clichés. Her approach serves as a compelling guide for infusing depth and originality into my quilt square.
The latter publication "Arctic: Culture and Climate" explores the adversities encountered by Arctic communities amid the erosion of their time-honored roots. It goes into the historical narrative of the Arctic about climate and weather, this book captures my interest with its diverse array of artifacts, encompassing sealskin kayaks, shamanic drums, and traditional garments. I find the inclusion of such compelling cultural elements beneficial for shaping my final project, as it presents an opportunity to seamlessly integrate cultural nuances with the overarching theme of climate change. Drawing inspiration and insights from this book, particularly concerning the effective inclusion of culture and climate, aligns with the essence of my square quilt centered around my cultural heritage.
The book "Image Politics of Climate Change: Visualizations, Imaginations, Documentations" by Bergin Schneider and Thomas Nocke inspired me to infuse a political statement into my quilt square. Viewing the diverse depictions of climate change in the book's images provided me with inspiration on conveying my topic in multiple approaches. I appreciated its focus on the visual rather than relying solely on statistical graphs. Climate change discussions often become inaccessible due to the complexity of conveying the topic through statistics and intricate terms, which may alienate or bore people. Consequently, creating climate change art becomes crucial as it connects with people emotionally and transcends cultural, linguistic, and background barriers. Another influential book was "Creating a Climate for Change" by Moser, Susanne C, and Lisa Dilling, which echoes the emphasis on understanding the complexities of climate change communication and reaching diverse audiences effectively. I embraced the book's teaching, attempting to blend abstraction and literal representation to make my artwork accessible to a broad audience with different backgrounds. The flexibility of creating art allows for increased accessibility compared to scholarly articles that may pose challenges for individuals with language barriers, among other factors.
Now, I will go to further dept regarding artist I was inspired by regarding the design of my quilt square. I was mainly inspired by A Filipino Artist named Leeroy New. His recent creation, "Mebuyan's Colony," is crafted from bamboo and recycled plastic bottles. The concept behind this Colony is based on the goddess of death and fertility. The artwork effectively sheds light on the critical issues of food security and climate change. Thus, in my project I incorporated sustainability and agriculture into my quilt. I used recycled materials like leroy and designed my project focused on agriculture topic such as Blast fishing and food insecurity. Another, Filipino artist I was heavily inspired by is Martha Atienza. Her recent artwork called Equation of state is a video documentation and installation. She explore the impact of legislative changes in the islands of the Philippines. Her artwork brings light to mangrove deforestation and the locals resilience in the face of environmental challenges as well as relocation effort. This art piece highlights the role of legislation in shaping the island’s future. I was inspired by her focus on the community as well as her project being based on an island, which I relate. I’ve lived near Philippines most popular island and seeing how she tackled her own topic, helped guide me when creating my piece.
I was also inspired by the art piece, Life of Objects by Mary Mattingly it depicts a nude woman seemingly carrying the burden of a materialistic sphere. Her nudity symbolizes authenticity and the absence of material possessions. I really liked the use of recycled materials here. And I liked how she conveyed her messaged ina literal sense. I tried doing the same in my quilt, ensuring that the message is clear, but also a bit more abstract like the artwork, PET-environment by Diana Lelonek. This artwork vividly depicts the widespread presence and invasive nature of plastic pollution. I liked how abstract her artwork is and how many could have different interpretations of it. I wanted to the same with my artwork, but also have it be literal. To add abstract, I decided to have the strings loop around in a aimless way. Overall, these artworks and books played a significant role in developing my square.
Generally, I found Rifkin’s work to be an optimistic and innovative way of approaching the climate crisis. His idea of having a society that is more sustainable and empathetic is something that I like, but I find it hard to see it as something feasible. I’m not sure if it can be practical on a global scale or even a societal scale. Nevertheless, his idea does give me hope for a better future, I just think I have a difficult time grasping whether this is something that can be actualized. I believe it would be beneficial to understand his perspective on economic disparities, geopolitical complexities, and their connection to his work. However, ways I have tried integrating Rifkin work to my square/topic is by aiming to foster dialogues and contemplation through my quilt design. My square tries to serve as a representation of alternative models that prioritize environmental and social resilience over the traditional pursuit of economic growth. Through the design of my quilt square, I hope it provides a visual narrative that captivates viewers' imaginations and encourages them to imagine a future where sustainability within our oceans and island takes center stage. This approach I hope brings important discussions, drawing attention to the need of adopting sustainable fishing practices in my country.
After my group presentation, the primary feedback I received emphasized delving more deeply into the topic of blast fishing, especially considering that many people are unfamiliar with it. Consequently, I revisited my slides and incorporated additional contextual information. Another aspect of the feedback focused on improving the accuracy of citations, leading me to revise and correct them accordingly. Additionally, I crafted a new slide integrating Rifkin specifically for my topic. Other valuable feedback included suggestions to speak louder, engage more with the audience, and provide more detailed information. I am committed to incorporating these suggestions into my approach for future presentations.
Images
Citations
Scott, Emily E., T. J. Demos, and Subhankar Banerjee. 2021. The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Art, Visual Culture, and Climate Change (Routledge Art History and Visual Studies Companions). Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/9780367701161.
Schneider, Birgit, and Thomas Nocke. 2014. Image Politics of Climate Change. transcript Verlag.
Moser, Susanne C, and Lisa Dilling. 2007. Creating a Climate for Change. Cambridge University Press.
Burko, Diane. 2022. Diane Burko: Seeing Climate Change. American University Museum.
Lincoln, Amber. 2020. ARCTIC : Culture and Climate. Thames & Hudson USA.
Chan, Adrian, and Paul A. Hodgson. 2017. “A Systematic Analysis of Blast Fishing in South-East Asia and Possible Solutions.” 2017 IEEE Underwater Technology (UT). https://doi.org/10.1109/ut.2017.7890330.
Hampton-Smith, Melissa, Deborah S. Bower, and Sarah Mika. 2021. “A Review of the Current Global Status of Blast Fishing: Causes, Implications and Solutions.” Biological Conservation 262 (October): 109307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109307.
Image Citation
“These 3 Filipino Artists Bring Climate Change Awareness through Art | Lifestyle.” 2022b. Vogue.ph. October 5, 2022. https://vogue.ph/lifestyle/artists-for-climate-change/.
“Silverlens.” n.d. Www.silverlensgalleries.com. Accessed December 10, 2023. https://www.silverlensgalleries.com/exhibitions/2019-12-07/equation-of-state.
Demos, T. J., Emily Eliza Scott, and Subhankar Banerjee. 2021. The Routledge Companion to Contemporary Art, Visual Culture, and Climate Change. Milton: Taylor & Francis Group.
Fowkes, Maja, and Reuben Fowkes. 2022. Art and Climate Change (World of Art). Thames & Hudson.
Fowkes, Maja, and Reuben Fowkes. 2022. Art and Climate Change (World of Art). Thames & Hudson.