ILOILO – In a marked ramp-up in the fight against illegal fishing, the Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force (PBDTF) has apprehended eight modified danish seine vessels, known locally as “super hulbot”, in the past six months.
The latest seizures occurred on July 1, 2024, near Asluman, Carles town.
Danish seine fishing has been outlawed due to its destructive impact on the marine environment. This fishing method involves dragging a seine net along the sea floor, which is highly efficient but causes significant damage to, among others, seagrass beds and corals where fishes spawn.
According to Provincial Administrator Dr. Raul Banias who also heads the taskforce, these commercial fishing vessels are prohibited under Fishery Administrative Order 246-1 and Republic Act 10654 due to their destructive impact on the marine ecosystem.
These vessels are now impounded at the PBDTF facility in Sitio Puntalis, Barangay Nipa, Concepcion town.
The intensified enforcement is in response to directives from Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr., aiming to protect, preserve, and rehabilitate municipal waters and to curb all forms of illegal fishing practices.
Banias said the use of “super hulbots”, along with dynamite fishing, has been particularly damaging in the northern and southern seas of Iloilo.
The efficiency of these prohibited gears in capturing large quantities of fish, including juvenile fish, makes them attractive to commercial operators.
“This type of gear allows operators to catch half a million in a day, compared to small-scale fishermen who might earn P1,000 a day. It’s this efficiency that leads to illegal activities,” said Banias.
The Iloilo provincial government is in the process of acquiring two additional fishing vessels equipped with faster and more powerful engines to enhance the capabilities of the Bantay Dagat in their patrols.
These new vessels, expected to be operational by the end of 2024, will join the current fleet consisting of two old wooden hull patrol boats and two speedboats, further strengthening the enforcement efforts in Northern Iloilo./PN
