Eight boxes of blasted fish were seized by the Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force in an operation yesterday. (CDN PHOTO/JOSE SANTINO BUNACHITA)
The Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force (Cpaiftf) confiscated eight boxes of blasted fish past 12 midnight in Liloan town, northern Cebu yesterday.
CPAIFTF head Lyndon Ruiz said the boxes of assorted fish from Medellin town were supposed to be delivered to the Pasil Fish Market in Cebu City.
After receiving reports of the delivery, the task force immediately conducted an operation and intercepted the vehicle in Barangay Jubay, Liloan.
The fish as well as the truck are impounded at the Capitol compound while the driver and his companion were released by the task force.
“The seized fish will be turned over to the vice governor’s office, and these will be distributed to selected organizations and institutions,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz estimated the cost of the marine products to be between P30,000 to P40,000.
He said a total of 16 boxes of fish were being transported during the interception, but only eight were confiscated after showing signs of being blasted. The other eight were returned to the driver and his companion.
Ruiz said the two would be summoned back once the task force files charges against them.
Under Provincial Ordinance No. 2012-5, transporting blasted fish carries a fine of P5,000 per kilo. Also, under the amended Fisheries Code, those who are caught blast fishing can be penalized with six years of imprisonment.
“We really have to strengthen our legal arms and our prosecution of violators,” Ruiz said.
He said the task force has already profiled areas prone to illegal fishing. He said dynamite fishing and commercial fishing within municipal waters were usually reported in the northern part of Cebu.
On the other hand, the southern part of Cebu has more reported sightings of huge commercial fishing vessels.
“We need to have a good mixture of enforcement and also to give them (fishermen) livelihood,” Ruiz said. He said that based on their interviews, most people were forced to engage in illegal fishing activities because it’s easier and that they lack other options to choose from.