Cebu City hunts down blast fishers on reef under rehabilitation

Screenshot from Cebu City Reef Rehabilitation Initiative video

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government is currently hunting down the perpetrators behind the blast fishing that occurred in a reef undergoing rehabilitation.

The incident occurred on Saturday, March 8, the city’s Bantay Dagat reported.

The illegal fishers managed to flee as soon as members of the sea patrol arrived, said Karlon Rama, head of the Bantay Dagat.

“I’m so frustrated. They know the damage and they don’t care,” said Rama in an interview with CDN Digital.

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The blast fishing happened around 6 a.m. in the waters near the South Road Properties (SRP).

A team of divers from the Bantay Dagat and marine biologists from the Cebu Technological University confirmed the discovery at 9 a.m. That day, they were scheduled to retrieve sediment traps at the area as part of a study.

Upon arriving, the group noticed that fishing boats within the vicinity suddenly sped away, heading south.

When the divers swam underwater, they found remnants of a blast fishing, including two craters on the sea floor that confirmed the use of explosives.

They had also retrieved several corpses of fishes that died following the explosion.

Philippine fisheries law banned blast fishing, also known as dynamite fishing, and is punishable by law. Violators may face imprisonment between six months to two years.

As of Monday, March 10, the city government continues to identify the suspects and assess the cost of damages.

The Bantay Dagat has also gathered witnesses, like the fisherfolks from Brgy. Mambaling who reportedly heard four blasts within a 40-minute interval, in the hopes of catching the illegal fishers.

“We’re trying to get from the fisherfolks nga nakakita. Atoang chief of operations, Sir Jeffrey Diola, gipatawag ang mga fisherfolks nakit-an sa area when it happened,” explained Rama.

(We’re trying to get fisherfolks who saw (the blast fishing). Our chief of operations, Sir Jeffrey Diola, have called the fisherfolks who saw it when it happened.)

“Atong suwayon pangayo og affidavit from them. Maybe some of them can identify the boat being used by the perpetrators,” he added.

(We’ll try to ask for an affidavit from them. Maybe some of them can identify the boat being used by the perpetrators.)

Authorities believed the fishers are not from Cebu City. This is why they have also coordinated with the police and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in locating their whereabouts outside the city.

Rama confirmed that the blast fishing incident occurred in an area where the city government is actively rehabilitating reefs as part of its efforts to secure a marine protection status since 2020.

Although the blasts mainly damaged the outer edges of the reef and less densely populated coral areas, the Bantay Dagat team voiced their frustration and disappointment that some individuals still conduct illegal fishing.

“Wa gyud ta nagkuwang sa information drive and education campaign, on how destructive this (redacted) thing is,” Rama said.

(We were not lacking in our information drive and education campaign on how destructive this thing is.)