AUTHORITIES have apprehended a fishing boat for illegal fishing off Zamboanga Sibugay province, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported Sunday, March 24, 2024.
The Coast Guard Station Zamboanga Sibugay (CGSZS) said the fishing boat was apprehended on Friday, March 22, in the vicinity waters off Pandilusan Island, Payao town.
The CGSZS said the fishing boat was caught in the act of engaging in “hulbot-hulbot fishing” which is prohibited under the law.
The CGSZS said the apprehension came after the Coast Guard Sub-Station Payao and the municipal government continuously intensified their campaign against illegal fishing within the municipal waters of Payao.
“By cracking down these types of practices in our waters, we can ensure that the livelihood of law-abiding fishermen will not be hindered,” the CGSZS said in a statement.
“The recent operation serves as a testament to the direction that the authorities are taking towards the sustainable marine environment and resources, it will also serve as a warning to all practitioners of illegal fishing within the waters of Zamboanga Sibugay,” the CGSZS added.
Republic Act 10654, the law that amended the Philippine Fisheries Code, prohibits the use of “hulbot hulbot” and other fishing gear destructing coral reefs and other marine habitats. (SunStar Zamboanga)