ILOILO – A total of 86 fishermen were apprehended for illegal fishing in the waters of the northern towns of Concepcion and Carles early this month.
They were using active gears such as trawl, ring net and modified bag net locally known as baskal and without permits from the municipal governments concerned.
Reports from the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat on Tuesday disclosed that the fishermen were mostly residents of Concepcion; others were from the nearby towns of Estancia and San Dionisio.
There were 37 trawl fishers onboard the following motorboats and they paid P2,500 fine:
* F/Bca Jun Rose owned by Rosalie Bernas
* F/Bca Binjo owned by Bernard Badiango
* F/Bca Bong Weng owned by Luther Anuevo
* F/Bca Nover owned by Bobby Gabayeron
* F/Bca Karen owned by Dennis Gabayeron
* F/Bca Lyka owned by Lyka Azin
* F/Bca Dona Neña owned by Nena Orpesa
* F/Bca Meg owned by Megnan Depalobos
Four fishermen from Barangay Odiongan, San Dionisio were arrested in Barangay Taloto-an, Concepcion using shrimp trawl while onboard motorboats Nonoy and An-An owned by Jolito Arbis and Jeffrey Octavio, respectively.
Using modified bag net were five fishermen onboard motorboats Chechay, MRC and Amek that were owned by Efren Guines, Rowena Cacho and Alma Mae Dumali , respectively.
They, too, were compelled to pay P2,500 each for violating Concepcion’s Municipal Fisheries Ordinance N. 1, series of 2008 and Municipal Ordinance 2018-17 declaring the area as Marine Protected Areas.
The 40 other fishermen who were using otter trawl and ring net were made to pay P15,960 by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Region 6 Adjudication Committee since their operators failed to secure the license for their fishing vessels, gears, and fish workers.
The motorboats using otter trawl were Yvonne and Rachelle May that were owned by Leony Betita of Barangay Taloto-an, Concepcion and Salvador Obidos of Barangay Jintotolo, Balud, Masbate. (Jezza Nepomoceno, Iloilo Capitol/PN)
