46 illegal fishers nabbed, 268 boxes of fish seized

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force has confiscated 268 boxes of illegally caught "tuloy" fish in San Remigio Sunday dawn.

Members of the Task Force also seized two fishing boats and arrested 46 members of the crew including an armed security guard.

Task Force chief Loy Madrigal said they were conducting patrol operations at the municipal waters of San Remigio from 7 pm last Saturday until Sunday dawn when they chanced upon two fishing boats engaged in illegal fishing activity off Barangays Bangkasan and Anapo.

"Fishing boat sighted while engaging on illegal fishing activity using active gears," Madrigal reported.

Madrigal's team seized M/B RAV-1 and arrested its 29 crew members including the security guard. The 120 boxes of fish were likewise seized. Another boat confiscated by the members of the Capitol Task Force was M/B RBS-1. All its 17 crew were also arrested and the 148 boxes of fish were seized.

Arrested crew members will be charged for violation of the Fisheries Code of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, a man believed to have jumped overboard an inter-island vessel bound for Sta. Fe was rescued by the group of Madrigal during the operation.

Vicente Sevillo, 34, married and resident of Barangay Tamiao, Bantayan, was found floating in the seawaters between the towns of Medellin and Sta. Fe. He was a passenger of LCT Island 2 which departed from Hagnaya wharf for Sta. Fe at 3 a.m. last Sunday but allegedly jumped off the ship.

Petty Officer 2 Gerry Patiño of the Cebu Coast Guard-Hagnaya detachment believed that Sevillo may have tried to commit suicide because his wife left him.

"Nihangyo kuno nga magpapusil na lang siya aron mamatay unya gipakaon namo kalit mag dagan murag wala sa sarili," Patiño said.

But Sevillo claimed he fell off the ship while urinating. He was escorted by the police back to Bantayan Island.  (FREEMAN)