Assorted blasted fish in 35 boxes seized in Lilo-an
Thirty-five boxes of assorted fish caught through dynamite fishing were seized in barangay Cotcot, Liloan yesterday.
The fish were transported from barangay Mahawak, Medellin town in northern Cebu en route to Pasil market in Cebu City.
The van with the boxes of fish was intercepted at around 1 p.m. by the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force.
The task force’s report identified Francisco Ruiz as the owner of the vehicle. Truck driver Dave Marumba and three others were apprehended then later released upon the recommendation of Provincial Legal Officer Orvi Ortega.
The vehicle was impounded at the Capitol.
The team headed by Artemino Delfin of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) intercepted the van.
Lawyer Chad Estella, task force coordinator and acting PENRO head, said 11 out of the 35 boxes tested positive for dynamite fishing.
One of the driver’s helpers said the fish was sold at P1,500 per barrel. The task force referred the case to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 and the Provincial Legal Office.
Dynamite fishing is penalized by a jail term of 5 to 10 years. Selling or disposing of illegally caught fish for profit carries a penalty of 6 to 10 years in jail.
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