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Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Bantay Dagat nabs 3 fishing boats, 14 suspects
THE Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force seized three fishing boats-a Danish Seine and two trawls off Northern Iloilo and slapped criminal charges on their 13 crewmembers for violation of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines.
Fernando De Castro, chief of the fisheries division, provincial agriculture office here, wrote Iloilo Governor Niel D. Tupas Sr. that all the suspected illegal fishers now face charges for violating the Fisheries Code or Republic Act 8550 particularly its Section 89 that prohibits fine-mesh nets.
F/B Toto Rey, a Danish Seine which is more popular here as a "hulbot," was intercepted off Carles town August 24. It is owned by Remy De la Rosa of Barangay Calumpang, Estancia Iloilo and captained by Rolando De la Rosa of Barangay Pantalan in the same town.
It has seven other crewmembers who also face similar criminal complaint.
The two other boats, both trawls, were seized off Concepcion town, August 26. All there rive crewmembers also face the complaint for using fine-mesh nets.
"I am proud to tell our people that our fisherfolk have more to catch and eat now from our sea," said Tupas. "Sigihon pa naton ang pagtapna sang illegal fishing (We shall continue to curb illegal fishing)." RA 8550 defines "fine mesh nets" to be those having the size of three millimeters or less between two nearest knots when stretched.
Trawl F/B Rechelle is captained by Jimmy Sesante of Barangay Danao, Concepcion, Iloilo and assisted by Carlos Claridad of the same barangay; F/B Toto Ryan is captained by Gerold Montaniel of Barangay Danao, Concepcion, and assisted by Inocensio Sanson of Pangi, San Dionisio town, and Gaspar Villanueva Jr. of Barangay Tacboyan, Estancia, Iloilo.
The sea off northern Iloilo used to be called "Alaska of the Philippines" for its bountiful marine life. Excessive extraction and destructive practices though degraded its fishery resources. Tupas raised marine protection as his campaign platform in his two successful elections for governor.
Carles, the northernmost town of Iloilo, is 147 kilometers from this city, followed by Estancia at 135 kilomters. Concepcion is 111 kilometers north of here.
Section 89 of the Fisheries Code punishes violators with fine or imprisonment or both, the former ranging from P2,000 to P20,000, the latter from six months to two years. If the boat is commercial (above 3.1 metric tons gross weight), the owner or operator is likewise as liable as if he or she actively took part in the illegal fishing activity.
The Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force has three speed boats, two of which are smaller and with uncovered decks, the bigger one with covered deck, capable of cruising up to 40 knots. The sea crafts came from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The task force is led by the PAO but its muscle is provided by the 3rd Mobile Group of the PNP.
Further, each of Iloilo's 18 coastal towns has its own bantay dagat and at least one pumpboat provided by the BFAR. (Pet Melliza)
(September 6, 2005 issue)
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