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Monday, July 30, 2007
Navy seizes 23 boats in illegal fishing crackdown
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Philippine Navy recently conducted a crackdown on illegal fishing activities along the Celebes Sea, resulting in the apprehension of 23 fishing vessels, an official said.
Vicente Cejoco, chief of Navy patrol boat BRP Sultan Kudarat, urged illegal fishermen to stop employing unlawful fishing methods for the sake of the future generation.
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BRP Sultan Kudarat scoured Celebes Sea recently after complaints from marine conservationists that illegal fishing is rampant in the area and in Sarangani Bay.
The offenses include use of fine meshed nets, commercial fishing without license, employing unlicensed fish workers, expired vessel fishing certificate, safety and radio unit violations, and employment of minors, Cejoco said.
Christopher Dearne, a British national engaged in the conservation of the seas, lamented that illegal fishing methods are destroying the marine habitat in the area.
Dearne belongs to a group of private scuba divers regularly out on sea to submerge artificial coral reefs.
He said in an earlier interview that dynamite fishing is common in Celebes Sea and Sarangani Bay when authorities are not patrolling the area.
While the Navy failed to apprehend blast-fishing operators during the crackdown, Cejoco warned fishermen to stop engaging in dynamite fishing and using toxic chemicals to catch the fish.
"What we want is that 30 to 40 years from now, your children and grandchildren can still catch fish and enjoy the other bounty offered by our seas," Cejoco said.
He said the Philippine Navy is conducting a drive "to support the fishing sector and not to oppress the fishermen."
Cejoco said that among the Philippine Navy's role is to assist government agencies in protecting the marine resources and the environment.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, which overseas marine resources in the country, ordered them to launch the crackdown on illegal fishing, he added.
Cejoco, whose rank is equivalent to a lieutenant colonel in the military, also issued a warning to operators of unregistered fishing vessels.
"Most often, the unregistered fishing vessels are the ones involved in illegal fishing activities," he said.
The apprehended fishermen and vessels were formally turned over to proper authorities for prosecution, he said. (Sun.Star General Santos/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (July 30, 2007 issue)
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