ILOILO City – The Regional Maritime Unit 6 (RMU-6) will intensify its operations against illegal fishing across the region.
Colonel Ervin Glenn Provido, RMU-6 director, said that one of their priorities this year will be eradicating illegal fishing, especially in northern Iloilo, to help the provincial government in the campaign.
“I have to utilize my men to focus on illegal fishing. We have high-speed watercraft to help run after illegal fishers. Buligan naton ang mga Bantay Dagat sa pag-protect sang magamay nga isda kag our coral reefs,” Provido told Panay News.
Earlier, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. ordered Iloilo Police Provincial Office director Colonel Ronaldo Palomo to prioritize and strengthen the campaign against illegal fishing and management of the Visayan Sea.
It was learned that the provincial government allocated P5 million to northern Iloilo for the construction of a resilience hub to serve as headquarters for police personnel, together with the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat, who would patrol the waters against any kind of illegal fishing activity.
“We want to rationalize ang aton nga operation sa illegal fishing and the management of the Visayan Sea, amo na ang aton direction together with our PNP (Philippine National Police),” said Defensor.
He further prioritized this since fish is a source of protein and there is a reduction in the supply of pork in the province due to the African Swine Fever.
In response to Defensor’s call, the RMU-6 will use their craft in northern Iloilo to be manned by their personnel to prevent fishermen from violating municipal ordinances and Republic Act 8550, or an act providing for the development, management, and conservation of the fisheries and aquatic resources, integrating all laws pertinent thereto, and for other purposes.
In 2023, the RMU-6 carried out 120 operations and arrested 530 people, of whom 359 violated local fishery ordinances. Fines and penalties amounting to P2 million were also collected./PN
