25 tons of blasted fish seized in Tuburan

Blasted fish weighing 25 tons was seized in two  operations in Tuburan town, midnorth  Cebu early morning yesterday.

Seven persons were apprehended and turned over to  the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) until a decision is made by  Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III whether or not to file charges against them.

Lawyer Czareem Joseph Estella, coordinator of the  Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force  and Penro head, said the seized boxes of fish came from the towns of Medellin and San Remigio.

Each  ton of seized fish was worth P4,000.

The first apprehension happened at 5:50 a.m where 19 trucks of sardinella (tuloy) fish were seized in barangay Daan Lungsod.

The boxes of fish were owned by Rosita Siarot. Siarot,  Joel Agag, Justin Albaño, Bonifacio Siarot Jr., all from Balamban town, were apprehended.

At 7:30 a.m., another truck was caught carrying six tons of blasted fish owned by Rustom Aviles.

Apprehended along with Aviles were  Janet Aviles and Edmund Lepitin, all from Medillen town.

Estella said the  fish were confirmed to have been caught through dynamite fishing based on  examination  by Rodillo Codilla of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources -Central Visayas (BFAR-7).

“The gas bladder of the fish was  busted and mixed with blood and internal organs were crushed and mixed with blood,” said Codilla in his report.

The seized fish will be donated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7), SOS Children’s Village in barangay Talamban, and other charitable institutions, said Estella.

Last August 26, 11 boxes or 770 kilos of assorted fishes believed to be caught though dynamite fishing were seized by the anti-illegal fishing task force in barangay Cotcot, Liloan town.