Mandaue City’s campaign against illegal fishing got a big boost after it acquired a P1.4-million patrol boat.
“We can now go against illegal fishers and conduct sea rescue operations,” said Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes in yesterday’s blessing of the new patrol boat at the Looc barangay gym.
The patrol boat was later loaded offshore at the Looc Wharf.
The 27-foot-long fiberglass sea craft is equipped with a sonar depth detector, life raft, life jackets, rescue ring, siren, stabilizer and rescue ring. It was produced by a Camarines Sur-based company.
The boat has a seating capacity for 20 passengers and reaches a maximum speed of 30 knots with its 115 Mercury horsepower engine.
“We have a lot of coastal barangays that we need to protect. As we inspect and apprehend illegal fishers we greatly need this. Before, we just rented boats,” Cortes said.
Operations of the boat will be centralized by the Bantay Mandaue Command Center at the City Hall Grounds.
The sea craft will be manned by seven persons in four shifts. The skipper will come from the City Agriculture Office. Two police officers will join the patrols.
The mayor led the oath-taking of officers of the Bantay Dagat Association with their president Luis Bontoyan; Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede; Councilor Jimmy Lumapas, chair Committee on Agriculture; and Rolando Tiro, OIC of the City Agriculture.
Tiro said over 500 fishermen from Looc, Umapad, Opao, Labogon, Paknaan and Jagobiao have complained about illegal fishers poaching in their municipal waters.