• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Six fishermen were arrested in separate anti-illegal fishing operations conducted by maritime law enforcers off the coasts of Binalbagan and Sagay City in Negros Occidental July 16.
The operations resulted in the confiscation of illegal fishing gear, watercraft, and fish catch, all valued at more than P195,000.
Personnel from the Sagay Component City Police Station and the Sagay Bantay Dagat Task Force intercepted two fishermen at around 3:15 a.m. within the protected Matabas area of the Sagay Marine Reserve.
Authorities said that alias “Nonoy”, 36, who is the boat captain, and alias “Rony”, 49, a crew member, are both residents of Sitio Mocabog, Barangay Washington in Escalante City.
The two were caught conducting a “pamo”, an illegal fishing method.
Police recovered a double-engine fishing boat valued at P55,000, a set of fishing nets worth P60,000, and two kilograms of assorted fish valued at P340.
Thirty minutes later, another enforcement operation took place in the coastal waters of Barangay Enclaro in Binalbagan.
The Binalbagan Bantay Dagat PNCO and the municipal Bantay Dagat Task Force apprehended four boat captains during a routine seaborne patrol, two of them from Sitio Pasil, Brgy. Enclaro, and another two of Himamaylan City.
The four were arrested for violating Municipal Ordinance 12-02, series of 2012, which regulates municipal fishing activities, and the four trawling nets and eight trawling boards, amounting to P80,000, were seized from them. | TMD
