Capitol raises alarm on shark meat sale
Marlito Guidote (holding microphone), enforcement specialist of the Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries project, discusses how the enforcement of the shark ban ordinance fared in the province during a workshop at the Capitol.
(CDN/LITO TECSON)
The Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force (CPAIFTF) called on the Naga City government to end the sale of shark meat in one of the restaurants in the area.
Lawyer Czareem Joseph Estella, head of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), said they confirmed reports of a restaurant offering shark meat soup in the City of Naga.
“I am not saying that they have knowledge of the illegal activity but since it is within their areas, I’m calling them nga tabangan sa amoang krusada (to help us in our crusade),” Estella said.
He said the task force visited the restaurant and they were surprised that they were served “larang” (fish soup) with shark meat in it.
“I was there, I was served kaning gagmay nga mga (small) shark, cat shark,” he said.
He said he sent a letter to the restaurant owner months ago but the establishment still persisted in serving shark meat.
ILLEGAL
Estella said they will disclose the restaurant’s name in time once they confiscate the meat.
City of Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong confirmed reports that a restaurant in his town sold shark meat.
“Dugay na man nako na nga gisultihan so niundang man dayon tong naninda (I already told them long ago and they stopped selling),” he said.
He said he talked with the restaurant owner three weeks ago.
“I told them not to sell shark meat anymore for it is illegal and they said they are unaware that it is illegal,” Chiong said.
Investigation
The mayor said City of Naga residents are aware of the recently amended Provincial Ordinance 2014-15 which prohibits the fishing, transporting, dealing, selling or disposing of any shark species.
Despite this, Estella said they received reports of shark meat being sold in Minglanilla town near the City of Naga in southern Cebu.
Minglanilla Mayor Elanito Peña denied this, saying they haven’t received any such reports from their barangays.
“I have not received any report from the Bantay Dagat that there is shark meat selling in our town,” he told Cebu Daily News.
He said he ordered an investigation into these reports.
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