Navy apprehends illegal fishing boat in La Union

By Joanne Namnama P. Dilim

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- One fishing boat allegedly engaging in illegal fishing activities was apprehended during a joint Anti-Illegal Fishing Operation by the Seaborne Team of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL) off the coast of Bauang town on April 14.
    Lt. Jaypee Abuan, NFNL spokesperson, said the operation resulted to the confiscation of Fishing Boat Princess Charisse ML15, fish catch, and fishing paraphernalia with an estimated market value of PhP2.5 million.
    “Twelve crew of the said fishing boat, who are residents of Pantal village in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, were apprehended for violating several provisions of Republic Act (RA) 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 as amended by RA 10654,” Abuan said.
    He went on citing Section 97 (Fishing or Taking of Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species); Section 86 (Unauthorized Fishing); Section 13 (Commercial Fishing Vessel Operators Employing Unlicensed, Fisherfolk, Fishworker or Crew); Section 115 (Obstruction to Fishery Law Enforcement Officer); and Section 121 (Unlicensed Gear), as violations.
    The confiscated fishing boat and fishing paraphernalia and the apprehended crew were immediately turned over to BFAR stationed in Sto. Tomas, La Union for proper disposition and filing of cases, he added.
    Meanwhile, Rosario Segundina Gaerlan, officer-in-charge of BFAR Region 1, said the crew were released on the same day after the Notice of Violations were issued with corresponding police blotter.
    “Only the boat and illegally used fishing gears were impounded at the BFAR station as evidence,” Gaerlan said.
If found guilty, offenders will pay a fine from P10,000 to P1 million and imprisonment from six months to 10 years. -- PIA La Union