Illegal fishing in Cebu spills over to Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — Illegal fishers from neighboring provinces may have considered Bohol as a rich alternative after having exploited other areas enough to depletion.

This issue cropped up during the recent launching of major marine resources protection program of the Coastal Law Enforcement Council in District 2 (CLEC-2) chaired by Trinidad town Mayor Roberto Cajes in barangay Busalian in the island of Jao of Talibon town.

Bohol Provincial Police director Constantino Barot Jr. said authorities have now focused their attention to the entry of illegal fishers from Cebu. Most areas in Cebu might have been depleted already because of massive illegal fishing, prompting illegal fishers to come to Bohol which is still abundant in marine resources, he said.

From time to time, the police would hear reports about illegal fishing activities in the towns of Getafe, Bien Unido, and Buenavista, said Barot, adding that authorities could not allow illegal fishers to destroy the rich marine biodiversity in Bohol.

Governor Edgar Chatto emphasized the need of people’s cooperation with government efforts to sustain the rich marine resources of Bohol that have been a temptation to illegal fishers, who only think of themselves and the present time, ignoring the consequences of their deeds to the future generation.

The most common illegal methods used are liba-liba, a very fine mesh net that catch schools of juvenile fish, and dynamite blasting which destroys coral reefs. Some persons in Brgy. Busalian have amputated arms, which could have resulted from dynamite blasting, said Barot.

After the launching of the three CLECs in Bohol, Barot had assigned police environment desk officers to join these teams in conducting seaborne patrols.

CLEC-2 members and partner sectors agreed during the Jao meeting that sessions of information education campaign on the protection and preservation of marine resources will be conducted on days when there is no operation against violators.

Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO) OIC Leonilo Lafuente, who heads the secretariat of the CLECs, also explained the significance of sustaining marine life in relation to the existence of mankind. - THE FREEMAN