Illegally-caught fish from Zamboanga seized

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Bantay Dagat operatives confiscated illegally-caught assorted fish worth about P100,000, which were transported to Cebu City from Zamboanga City last Sunday night.

Bantay Dagat chief Ranulfo Sebusa said the illegally-caught marine products were brought to Cebu City through M/V Nikko Brian. Maritime police here received a tip from their counterpart in Zamboanga about the shipment and tipped the Bantay Dagat operatives.

The Bantay Dagat Task Force is composed of members of the Maritime Police, Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and personnel of the Cebu City Police Office.

BFAR personnel confirmed some of the marine products were caught with the use of dynamites.

Sebusa said an existing ordinance mandates seizure of fish products, even those caught legally, if these are placed together with other illegally-caught marine products.

The confiscated fish, which include locally known products such as Mamsa, Kitong, Bayang-bayang, Timbongan, and Kawayanon, were donated to different charitable institutions.

Sebusa said no one claimed the fish products, although they were consigned to a certain Alih.

The Bantay Dagat chief discouraged fish traders from transporting illegally-caught marine products to Cebu City because these will only be confiscated in line with the city’s market-denial program for illegally-caught fishes. (FREEMAN)