40 “illegal fishers” face criminal complaints

CEBU, Philippines - Forty people are now facing criminal complaints before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office after they were caught fishing using prohibited gears off Kinatarcan Islet in Santa Fe town last week.

Members of the Guardian of the Seas, an anti-illegal fishing group composed of fishermen in northern Cebu, filed the complaint against the owners of the two fishing vessels and their crew for violation of the Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 as amended by Republic Act 10654.

The Freeman withheld the names of the respondents pending their sides on the complaint.

Former Capitol security chief Loy Anthony Madrigal, founder of the Guardians of the Seas, along with at least 150 fishermen filed the complaint yesterday.

Madrigal said he also filed a petition for the revocation of the fishing permit of the owners of the fishing vessels.

“I will also file additional charges ana nila for tampering the registration name and number sa ilahang barko kay wala man to mga ngalan ilang barko,” Madrigal said.

He added that small fishermen would continue to intensify their crusade against illegal fishing so as to protect their livelihood.

“Ang Guardian of the Seas has over 5,000 members nga maoy magbantay sa ilahang kadagatan against illegal fishing operators… fish at your own risk,” he said.

The 40 respondents were caught fishing using the prohibited Danish seine method locally known as “hulbot-hulbot.”

The joint seaborne patrol operation of San Remigio Bantay Dagat and “Guardian of the Seas” also yielded 90 tubs of assorted fish amounting to at least P200,000, and three sharks believed to be endangered.

Danish seine method is carried out with the use of an active fishing gear similar to a small trawl net with very long warps. The boat hauls the long wire warps through a mechanical winch, sweeping the seafloor. The net around the fish and action of the warps herd the fish towards the central part of the net.

The Philippine Fisheries Code prohibits fishing with the use of active gear in municipal waters. The respondents could face two to six years imprisonment if found guilty.— (FREEMAN)