Truck with suspicious shells may be released

CEBU, Philippines - The truck intercepted by the provincial government’s Anti-illegal Fishing Task Force (CPAIFTF) in Liloan last Friday carrying more than 50 sacks of shells may be released today.

This after the ongoing verification conducted by experts, so far, showed that most of the shell species are not protected, said retired Colonel Romeo Tapayan, the CPAIFTF head.

Tapayan earlier suspected that some of the shells are species of Cypraea leu-codon (White-toothed cowrie), Cypraea mariae (Marie’s cowrie) and Cypraea valentia (Prince cowrie) that are not supposed to be caught.

The species mentioned are listed under the Fisheries Administrative Order 208 as “rare,” which means that these aquatic resources have a small population, though they are not endangered or vulnerable at present.

 The shells were brought to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for verification.

“Kasagaran man daw ato (shells) legal. Maghuwat lang ta kung unsa gyud ang resulta kay daghan man to gud nga kinahanglan pa i-check sa BFAR, (Most of the shells are not protected species. BFAR has to check all the shells, so we will wait for the office to finish the process), Tapayan told The Freeman in a phone interview.

The truck is currently under the custody of the provincial government.

Catching threatened, rare and endangered species is prohibited under the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998.

 Violators may be imprisoned up to 20 years and may be fined up to P120,000, or both, upon the court’s discretion. The violator’s fishing permit may also be cancelled.  (FREEMAN)