Ouano to amend Cebu’s Fisheries Code
Provincial Board member Thadeo Ouano is set to amend Cebu’s Fisheries Code after owners of companies that import sharks complained on the confiscation of their goods.
“Naa’y complaint ang mga owners, imported man ilang sharks from Spain and Australia. So ipaklaro kung dakpunon jud,” said Ouano in last Friday’s Kapistorya sa Kapitolyo.
Ouano heads the Provincial Board committee on Environment.
He said these complainants are owners of the sharks fins seized by the Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force last year. The task force was then led by Loy Madrigal, the head of security of the Capitol who resigned following a controversy.
Ouano did not say outright if in the new Fisheries Code, endangered sharks and their parts that are transported in Cebu could also be confiscated under the Fisheries Code of the Philippines.
“Basta naa’y requirements from BFAR nga imported na, we don’t confiscate them,” he stressed.
Asked if his new amendment would protect sharks importers instead of the endangered sharks, Ouano said this will give a black and white translation on how things are to be carried out.
Earlier, the PAIFTF abandoned the criminal cases filed by Madrigal saying he had no authority to do it as he was not part of the said organization.
Madrigal was known for his active campaign against illegal fishing that a number of culprits were already sent to jail, and illegally transported endangered species like sharks fins, shells and corals were confiscated.
Madrigal was forced to resign following his controversial affair with a married secretary.