THE Cebu Provincial Board (PB) is now looking into why the 19 thresher sharks confiscated in Cebu last Sept. 21 were brought to Negros Occidental where the owner of the illegal commercial fishing vessel is based.
Board Member Sun Shimura filed a resolution for a PB investigation on why the illegal commercial fishing vessel with 19 illegally caught thresher sharks were brought to Negros Occidental.
The fishing vessel was apprehended on the coast of Hagnaya, San Remegio, Cebu by operatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 7), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the PNP Regional Public Safety Batallion.
The boat captain was identified as Wilson Forrosuelo and 13 crew members. The fishing vessel owner was identified as Alma Aremas of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
Instead of detaining and filing charges against the captain, crew and owner with the courts in Cebu, the DENR authorities brought the fishing vessel to Calatrava, Negros Occidental, the home province of the owner and crew.
Clarification
Shimura said the DENR must shed light on the matter especially that commercial fishers from Negros Occidental violated the law several times and they have depleted the number of thresher sharks in Northern Cebu, especially in Malapascua, a tourism area.
“Dive masters from dive shops in Malaspacua were alarmed because thresher sharks did not show up in the seawaters of Malapascua for five days after that incident when, in fact, used to come out every day,” Shimura said.
He said he dived in Moad Shoal 10 years ago and thresher sharks were out between 4 to 7 a.m. daily.
“These thresher sharks are considered endangered specie and the 19 that were considered from the illegal fishers is a big loss because granting there are only 50 thresher sharks, only 31 are left,” Shimura said.
Responsibility
When sought to comment, BFAR 7 Director Andres Bojos said that although his bureau is not tasked to protect Tañon Straight, they are supporting the campaign against illegal fishing because they have jurisdiction over the fishes and other marine life.
He said that the Protected Area Office, which brought the thresher sharks and the fishing vessel to Calatrava, is the implementing arm of DENR headed by a superintendent.
Bojos said he was informed that five of the 19 thresher sharks were turned over to the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force as evidence in case Cebu is interested in filing the case.
Bojos said he was informed that the apprehending officers brought the vessel to Calatrava where they have custodial area.