Some of the confiscated stingrays at the Pasil market. Contributed photo/DVMF
About 44 and a half kilos of stingrays worth P50,000 were confiscated by personnel of Cebu City Hall’s Department of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) last Friday and Saturday at the Pasil public market in Cebu City.
City Veterinary Office chief Dr. Alice Utlang said the confiscated stingrays came from Bantayan Island and were sold in the market for P120 per kilo.
“Kanang stingray kay protected na kay nagkaminus naman. Ug kaning klase sa isda kay maoy molimpyo or mo-balance sa atong kadagatan (These stingrays are protected by the law because they are considered endangered. And this type of fish helps clean and balance our marine ecosystem),” Utlang said.
She said this was the first time this year that they uncovered the sale of protected species in the public market.
“Kon ato pa gyod hilabtan labi na nagkagamay sila, naay posibilidad nga madaot ang environment didto sa dagat (If we abuse them their population decreases and it’s possible that it can damage the marine environment),” Utlang said.
Under Executive Order 12 or the “Shark and Ray Protection Order” signed by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, fishers and vendors are prohibited from catching and selling sharks, rays and chimaeras species within the city.
Utlang said vendors caught violating the order were issued citation tickets and told to pay P1,000 for every kilo of stingrays found in their possession.
The endangered species will be buried at the city’s old slaughterhouse compound at the North Reclamation Area, she said.
Dr. Utlang said she will meet with fish vendors in Pasil to remind them not to sell stingrays and other endangered marine species.
A city ordinance is also being drafted for this purpose, she said.