ALAMINOS CITY, Pangasinan - Twenty eight persons engaged in illegal fishing were apprehended within the city’s coastal waters here yesterday.At around 6 AM, twelve crew members of a fishing boat that bore a marking “FERRY” and owned by a certain Robert Castro were arrested for using active fishing gear known as “boli-boli” with fine mesh net.

Public Order Safety Office (POSO) Chief Mar Rabaja identified the crew members as Jerry Sulayao, (boat captain), Jonathan Tagas, Sifriano Estabillo , Freddie Agimbag, Wing Tabines, Algie Encio, Iniego Tonido, Marvin Inocenio, Diosdado Colon, Macmac La Torres, Manuel Gutierrez, Raffy Inaya - all resident of Poblacion, Sual, Pangasinan.

Rabaja said joint elements of POSO-Bantay Dagat, Alaminos City Police Office (ACPO), 106th PMG and PNP provincial intelligence branch were conducting a routine seaborne patrol when they spotted the fishing boat off barangay Victoria at around 6 AM.

Confiscated from the boat were a set of active gear with fine mesh net and twelve styrofoam containing assorted fish worth around P14, 000 and then brought to the ACPO for proper disposition.

FERRY was impounded at the shoreline of Bolo beach in Barangay Pandan, while, the fishermen are currently under the custody ACPO for further investigation.

Retired colonel Manuel Credo, Coastal Resource Management consultant of the city, said the group had violated section 89 of Republic Act 8550 for using fine nets.

Credo said that appropriate charges are now being readied for filing in court against the suspects and the owner of the fishing boat.

Later in the afternoon, sixteen more fishermen were nabbed by the same composite team with the help of some concerned citizens.

Credo disclosed that they received a phone call that a fishing vessel was sighted near barangay Victoria.

“Our citymate suspected that they might be violating the city’s fishery law so they immediately contacted our operatives based at Bolo Beach detachment,” he added.

Acting with dispatch, the POSO-Bantay Dagat and police operatives returned back to the sea and proceeded to the said boat’s direction.

And it turned out that the fishing boat, Jayson, is indeed engaging in illegal fishing using fine mess net which strictly prohibited under the law.

This resulted to apprehension of the crew members, also, all residents of nearby town of Sual.

Col. Rogelio Danoli, ACPO chief, identified the persons manning the boat as Michael Santos (boat captain and owner), Jay-Ar Busoto, Ramil Dinopol, Jimmy Fernandez, Melbert Cannoy, Francisco Lorella, Pedro Diaz, Nestor Bristol, Guillermo Binondo, Salvador Acuna, Jose Acuna, Leotimio Cerenio, Leotimio Cerenio, Edmond Alaban, Din Almatiar, Andrew Zarate, and Joselito Javier.

POSO-Bantay Dagat also confiscated motorized banca and recovered from it two fine mess nets and 20 kilos of various kinds of fish stocked with an estimated value of P 2, 000.

Also seized from the boat is caliber 45 with seven live ammunitions, magazine and firearms license ID owned by the Santos. The suspect could not present any pertinent document allowing him to carry said firearm outside his residence.

Police authorities will be filing charges against the boat owner and fishermen for violations of RA 8550 better known as the Philippine Fishery Code, the city fishery ordinance of Alaminos and RA 8294.

Mayor Hernani A. Braganza lauded anew the efforts and commitment of the city’s maritime police in safeguarding the city’s coastal waters.
The Braganza administration called a halt in 2004 all forms of illegal fishing operations which is very rampant in past in this part of Lingayen Gulf.
His initiative led to the restoration of ecological balance at the city’s vast marine environment thereby allowing small fishes to grow and multiple and ensuring food security and boosting the income of hundreds of marginalized fisherfolks totally dependent on the bounty of sea.
Partly, this is one of the reasons why more fishermen take the risks of engaging into illegal fishing despite the city government’s stern warning.
This was evidenced by increased number of illegal fishers collared by the city’s lawmen every year and numerous cases filed in court.
But with the local police and POSO Bantay Dagat’s intensified round-the-clock sea borne patrol and the renewed cooperation of local residents living along the city’s ten coastal communities in helping protect its resources, greedy boat owners and capitalists must think twice before entering the city’s waters to illegally catch fish. (CIO)