BFAR-Davao collects P500,000 in penalties

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Davao Region has collected more than P500,000 from the penalties of fishing violations in 2019.

In the report furnished by the agency, the BFAR has filed 40 cases for violations of the provisions in the Republic Act 10654 or the Amended Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

Out of 40 cases, only 35 were resolved with an accumulated penalty of P522,699.29.

The bureau has yet to collect an amount of P417,531.80 for the unresolved cases.

BFAR-Davao Director Fatma Idris said most of the cases were violations of the Section 95 or the Use of Active Fishing Gears in the Municipal Waters and Other Fishery Management Areas.

The law defined active fishing gears as "a fishing device characterized by the pursuit of the target species by towing, pushing the gears, surrounding, covering, dredging, and scaring the target species to impoundments."

Other cases filed are also in violation of Section 86 or the Unauthorized Fishing.

Idris said these fishers were apprehended for not bringing their fishing licenses.

"Yung lisensya dapat nakapaskil yan sa boat and then naka-display. Even yung mga crew, dapat meron din siyang mga ID na ibibigay namin (The fishing licenses must always be displayed on the boat. The crew must also secure a license from us)," she said.

In the report, there were also violations of Section 93 or the Use of Fine Mesh Net; Section 102 or Fishing or Taking of Rare, Threatened, or Endangered Species; Section 113 or Commercial Fishing Vessel Operators Employing Unlicensed Fisherfolk, Fishworker or Crew; and Section 121 or Use of Unlicensed Gear.

During the first semester of 2019, BFAR has confiscated a total of 45,583 kilos of giant clams in the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) in Davao del Norte.