54 charged for illegal fishing in Tañon Strait
AT least 54 people have been charged for illegal fishing in Tañon Strait between Cebu and Negros Islands from September to October this year.
Four commercial fishing boats were also apprehended and remain in custody of the Tanon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS) office in Badian town, southwest Cebu.
The fishing boat crew and operators were charged with violation of Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992.
“More operations will be conducted in various illegal fishing hotspots, especially within the marine protected areas in the region,” said Regional Executive Director Isabelo Montejo of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7, which filed the charges.
In the 888 news forum last Tuesday, Mar Go of the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force also identified the northern towns of Medellin, Daanbantayan and Bogo City as hotspots of illegal fishing.
He said the task force’s twice a week operations have resulted in a decline in illegal fishing.
He gave no specific figures, but said checkpoints and market denial helped ensure that fish catch is dynamite-free.
The office of the TSPS plans to buy one patrol boat next year.
The fishing boats named San Vicente Ferrer, Sto. Niño, Blue Heaven, and Adianne were apprehended in a joint seaborne operation by DENR, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 and the police.
Under Section 20 of RA 7585, hunting, destroying, disturbing, or mere possession of any plants or animals or products from a protected area without a permit from the Management Board is prohibited.
Violators face a fine of P5,000 to P500,000 aside from the value of the resources damaged.
The offender could also be sentenced to a prison term of one to six years and will be required to restore or compensate the damage.
The Tañon Strait covers 521,018 hectares and is among the country’s top ten major fishing grounds where about 26,000 fishers operate.
It is also a migration corridor for whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals, making it a preferred destination for whale-watchers, conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts. Presidential Decree 1234 iof 1981 declared Tañon Strait a protected area where commercial fishing is prohibited.
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