| contributed photo
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu—A huge sea turtle was found dead by fishermen in the coastal waters of Barangay Tingo, Olango Island in Lapu-Lapu City on Monday, October 10, 2022.
Alex Baring, head of the City Agriculture and Fishery Office (CAFO), said that the sea turtle weighed approximately 200 kilograms and was about 1.7 meters long.
He said that the sea turtle might have died due to dynamite fishing. However, no wounds were found on the sea turtle’s body.
“Mabungog raman gud na sila sa explosion dayon mamatay,” Baring said.
Baring said that illegal fishing, such as dynamite fishing, has been very rampant in Barangay Tingo.
However, the city does not have floating assets to catch these illegal fishers.
He revealed that most of them come from the neighboring areas of the island. Some local fisherfolk of Olango allegedly tried to stop some illegal fishermen but Baring said these individuals are armed so the fisherfolk could not get close to their fishing vessels.
Baring said that he has already coordinated with the Maritime Police and the Philippine Coast Guard regarding this concern.
The dead sea turtle was turned over to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to check its cause of death and for its proper disposal.
/bmjo
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