ILOILO -- Two boat captains, who were caught using the forbidden Danish seine or "hulbot-hulbot," was charged with violation of Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 246 and Section 86 of Republic Act 10654.
Charged were Romeo Arroyo and Roldan Guadalupe, both from Barangay Gahit, Sarabia, Negros Occidental.
Together with their seven crew members, they were caught by the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force (IPBDTF) fishing using hulbot-hulbot, 4.5 kilometers from the shoreline of Barangay San Salvador in Banate Iloilo on September 14.
The task force seized their motorboats, including its engines, rudders, propellers, shafting, tom weights, scaring lines and Danish seine fishing nets and other paraphernalia.
The crew members, on the other hand, who were not subject of the penal provisions of the law, were released from police custody.
Meanwhile, the task force recovered an abandoned round haul fishing net locally known as “baling” with anchovies fishes in Barangay Buenavista, Carles on September 16.
The IPBDTF also retrieved three tubs of fish but these were already in the state of autolysis and unfit for human consumption.
The task force reported that the owner of the fishing net was not identified because the fishermen, who were using it earlier that day fled the scene before they arrived.
The FAO 246 imposes a nationwide ban on the operation of Danish seine and modified Danish seine in Philippine waters.
If found guilty, the offenders may suffer a penalty of two to ten years imprisonment and a fine of not less than P100,000 to P500,000 or both fine and imprisonment. (Jezza Nepomoceno)