Philippine Biodiversity and Fishermen's Livelihood Threatened by Sunken Oil Tanker

The sunken oil tanker, MT Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, has been leaking oil for over a month near the Philippine island province of Oriental Mindoro, polluting the shores of at least three provinces, costing the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen, and threatening over 20 marine protected areas. The disaster is affecting the breeding ground for native marine species, whose population may decline in the future because they are unable to mate in the polluted waters. The fishing sector is losing $900,000 per day, with potentially months to go before the spill is fully contained. The government has yet to take any punitive decision or action against polluters one month since the catastrophe.