TACLOBAN CITY (CIO) – Following orders from Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, the Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET) has intensified its campaign against illegal activities in the coastal areas in Tacloban City.

On Tuesday, August 13 personnel from FLET and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) stepped up enforcement of a ban on danish seine (hulbot-hulbot) fishing amid intensified campaign on illegal activities and clearing operations in the coastal barangays in San Jose. The team went to barangays 88, 89 and 90 on Tuesday, to start the operation and confiscation of fishing vessels and fishing paraphernalia such as scare lines and danish seine fishnets.

“Aton ine gin konpiska nga ira gamit panagat in coordination han tag-iya kay base ine an balaud nga Fisheries Administrative Order No. 246-1,” said Kim Arellano, BFAR Fishing Regulations Officer I.

Section 2 of FAO No. 246-1 Series of 2018 declares that it shall be unlawful for any person ”to operate municipal and commercial fishing boats using Danish Seine or Modified Danish Seine in catching fish in Philippine waters.”

The owner, operator, boat captain, master fisher or recruiter who violates the law will be fined five times the price of the catch or PHP2 million per violation whichever is higher or imprisonment of two to 10 years.

“Bisan magbayad hira hin multa or kun ano, total confiscation na gud. Total banned na ira gamit panagat tapos ha bugos liwat ine na Pilipinas na gin papaimplement liwat ha amon,” Arellano stressed.

The said movement was to protect critical marine habitats and patrol the Cancabato Bay and its adjacent waters against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities.

Meanwhile, danish seines are considered active gears consisting of a conical net with a pair of wings, the ends of which are connected to a rope embedded with buri, plastic strips, sinkers, or other similar materials to serve as searing or herding device hauled through a mechanical winch or by manpower. The use of this destroys the fish sanctuary because it drags the coral reef, which serves as the critical habitat of the living organism in the ocean. – C.Merin/CIO

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Photos: D. Abarquez/CIO Flet Tacloban