Authorities apprehend three fishing vessels

DUMAGUETE CITY — A joint team of law enforcers from various government agencies have apprehended three commercial fishing vessels at Tañon Strait for alleged illegal fishing activities.

The joint team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape Protected Area Office (TSPS PAO), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and the Maritime Police conducted seaborne patrol operation from September 6 to 9.

It was part of ongoing efforts to address illegal commercial fishing in the country’s largest marine protected area, and the team was able to catch the illegal fishers.

The first vessel to be apprehended was the F/B CARF Nathaniel at 5:23 a.m. on September 6 at the seawaters off Jimalalud town in Negros Oriental, according to a report furnished by Steve Vincent Larona, legal assistant of DENR-7, and law enforcement officer of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape/Protected Area Office (TSPS/PAO).

The F/B CARF Nathaniel was owned by Romeo Pocong and Felicitas Pocong, residents of Talisay, Basdiot in Moalboal town of Cebu province. The report identified the boat captain as Hermilito Pocong. It had 15 crewmen.

On the same day, at around 6:55 a.m., the same joint team apprehended F/B JBH at the seawaters off Dumanjug town in Cebu.

The owner of the fishing vessel was identified as Julito Flores, a councilor of Barili town in Cebu, while the boat captain was identified as Petronilo Ricaplaza.

According to the DENRTSPS PAO report, the F/B JBH, with 14 crewmembers, was impounded in Dumanjug, Cebu but it was stolen and found later at Barili town in Cebu, according to the local police.

On Friday, at around 5:37 a.m., the same joint operations resulted in the apprehension of F/B Dorothy at the seawaters off Samboan town in Cebu.

The owner, Wilfred Batoctoy, said he had sold the fishing vessel to Cora Greene, the current owner, a resident of Samboan, Cebu. Alexander Zapran was identified as the boat captain of the fishing vessel, which had 14 crewmembers.

The apprehended fishing vessels are now impounded in Ayungon town of Negros Oriental as proper charges are being readied against those responsible for allegedly violating the fishery law, specifically within municipal waters.