Training required for fish wardens to get incentives

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu provincial government will require fish wardens to undergo training before their P2,000 cash incentives will be given.

Dr. Roldan Saragena, provincial agriculturist, said the Capitol will coordinate with the municipalities and cities to choose their official fish warden.

“Naa man mga lungsod and cities nga naa nay existing nga (fish) wardens naa sad wala pa. Katong mga bantay dagat nga ilang i-recommend, iapil nato sa atong bantay dagat unya mahatagan og incentives,” Saragena said.

Each local government unit will have to choose three to five fish wardens depending on their shoreline.

“Kung dagkong shoreline five ka fish wardens kung gamay ra minimum ang three,” Saragena said.

The chosen wardens will have to undergo training for effective monitoring and operation against illegal fishers in their area, these include leadership training and identification of acts considered as illegal.

“I-train na sila for pila ka modules anang pagdakop, pag-preserve sa mga evidence and pag-file og case. Apil pud sa training kon unsaon tong mga bantayanan nga illegal nga pamaagi sa panagat or illegal nga klase sa panagat,” said Saragena.

Officials from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources together with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources will conduct the training.

One of the things that fish wardens have to learn is about citizen’s arrest considering that they are not law enforcers.

Saragena, however, said that fish wardens will be assisted by policemen during operations. The Capitol will provide gears for their monitoring and operation.

The Capitol has allocated P10 million for the training and the incentives of the fish wardens.

Saragena said he will meet with all the municipal agriculturists on June 16 to discuss the schedule of the training. —/FPL (FREEMAN)