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ILOILO – Sixteen fishermen, including their boat captain, from Barangay Bara, Roxas City were arrested for using trawl, an active gear, within the municipal waters of Concepcion town.
Engaging in trawl fishing, locally known as palupad, 15 kilometers from the shoreline is a violation of Section 95 of Republic Act 10654 (revised Fisheries Code of the Philippines), according to Senior Police Officer 1 Gilbert Piedad of the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force.
Onboard F/V Mark Cris-RA, the fishermen and their fishing gear were also unregistered – a violation of sections 113, 121 and 86 of the Code.
The task force identified the boat owner as Rodelo Artillero of Barangay Dumolog, Roxas City. The fishing boat, engine, shafting, propeller and ruder, trawl fishing net, and fish catch were seized and impounded by the task force over the weekend.
Three other men onboard the fishing boat, who deliberately interrupted the operation of the task force, were also apprehended for violation of Section 115 (obstruction to fishery law enforcement officer) of Republic Act 10654.
They were Joel Losanes, Jaime Lacson, and Wilfredo Rabino who were all residents of Barangay Alipata, Carles, Iloilo.
Formal complaints against these men and the boat captain were filed at the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
COMMERCIAL BOATS CHARGED
Over 30 commercial fishing boats have been charged by the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force from January until October 2017 for violating the fisheries code.
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, supervising the task force, said most of those charged were big commercial fishing boats like super hulbot (Danish seine) and those engaged in palupad or trawl fishing, dynamite fishing, among others.
He said these commercial fishing boats mostly came from Negros Island and Cebu while local fisherfolk doing dynamite fishing were from the towns of Carles, Estancia, Concepcion and Banate in the province of Iloilo.
Banias said there had been a resurgence of dynamite fishing among local fisherfolks in the northern part of the province.
“The easiest and most effective way of catching fish (are through) illegal way(s),” he said.
But definitely, Banias said, the number of violations decreased compared to the same period last year.
He attributed the accomplishment to the relentless campaign of the provincial government and the local government units against illegal fishers and enforcement of the provincial and municipal ordinances against illegal fishing. (With reports from Jezza Nepomoceno, Iloilo Capitol, and Philippine News Agency/PN)
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