1T kilos of blasted fish seized

The Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission seized more than 1,000 kilos of fish caught through blast fishing at the Pasil fish port yesterday morning.

Bantay Dagat program director and market administrator Elpidio dela Victoria yesterday said the fish were place in 20 boxes of styrofoam. It was valued at P100,000.

Dela Victoria said they intercepted the banca carrying the boxes while it docked at the port at about 9 a.m. after an informant tipped them about fish caught through dynamite fishing.

The seized fish, according to dela Victoria, came from barangay Pandanon, Getafe town, Bohol. There were already markings on the boxes, which were ready for pick-up by fish dealers.

Upon the examination of the seized fish, Dela Victoria confirmed external manifestations of fish caught by means of dynamite explosives. Red eyes due to ruptured capillaries, fractured body parts and ruptured and bloodied intestines and gills are telltale signs of blast fishing, he said.

The seized fish will be donated to various charitable institutions.

Meanwhile, Dela Victoria said Provincial Board member Victor Maambong was misinformed when he said Dela Victoria's plea to the province and three town mayors for livelihood assistance for fishermen was "uncalled for".

Dela Victoria made the plea on behalf of more than 3,000 fishermen who will be displaced if the closure of the Visayan seas will be implemented.

Dela Victoria said that as Cebu City Bantay Dagat commissioner and national president of the Philippine National Association of Fish Wardens he is for the closure of the Visayan seas.

He said there is not even a need for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to act on the petition filed by the LGUs concerned and which is supported by the Visayan Sea Squadron for the closure of the Visayan seas against commercial fishing because under the 1991 Local Government Code the LGUs are authorized to go after those who are violating Republic Act 8550, otherwise known as the Fishery Code of 1998.

However, as market administrator, dela Victoria said he is appealing to the governor and the local chief executives of the towns of Bantayan Island, San Remigio, Madridejos and Sta. Fe to help the affected fishermen.

He said should these fishermen operate on their own, they need around P700,000 to P100,000 to buy a 16-horse power pump boat, which can accommodate four fishermen.

He further said their loss of livelihood also means loss of 100,000 kilos, fully a third of the amount of fish supplied everybody at Pasil Fish Port from the Visayas-Mindanao seas, which would otherwise amount to increase in its price in the market once the supply goes down.

For now, local markets may not experience the decrease in the supply of fish because this is the season where fish catch is abundant but not until the month of June, Dela Victoria said.

By saying so, Dela Victoria contradicted Maambong's statement that there is no empirical data to predict this shall happen. - Garry B. Lao and Cristina C. Birondo