Three tons of ‘illegally caught’ fish seized

CEBU, Philippines - About P430 thousand worth of fish believed to have been caught illegally was seized by the Cebu City Bantay Dagat Task Force last Thursday.

Cebu City Bantay Dagat Task Force chief Ranulfo Sebusa estimated the seizure to be around three tons or 3,000 kilos.

The whole catch was composed of different kinds of fish, including lipti (soldierfish), mulmol (parrotfish) and kitong (rabbitfish).

The fish were shipped by the George & Peter Lines from Zamboanga City and unloaded at Pier 2.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources proved in their examination that the fish were illegally caught through the use of explosives.

Sebusa stressed that the confiscation was based on the existing city ordinance and part of market denial.

“Market denial is to prevent the entry of illegally caught marine products to our market,” said Sebusa.

Sebusa also renewed the warning for fish traders not to sell illegally caught fish or any marine products.

Meanwhile, the task force distributed the confiscated fish to different charitable institutions yesterday morning. — Arian Sweden Mae C. Cosmiano, USJ-R MassComm/JMD (FREEMAN)