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[av_heading heading=’ ‘BANTAY DAGAT NEEDS HELP’ | Paging BFAR, coastguard, PNP!’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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Friday, July 7, 2017
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ILOILO – The Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force could not totally stop illegal fishing activities in Iloilo’s vast territorial waters all by itself, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
“From San Joaquin in southern Iloilo to Carles in the north – that’s the area our Bantay Dagat has to guard,” said Defensor.
Bantay Dagat has seven patrol boats guarding Iloilo’s rich fishing grounds. According to Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, illegal fishing remains a problem, especially in northern Iloilo.
Defensor urged other concerned agencies to do their share in protecting Iloilo’s waters such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine National Police’s Maritime Group.
“We can’t apprehend illegal fishers if they’re already outside our territorial waters. The BFAR and Maritime Group can help in this regard,” Defensor told provincial capitol reporters yesterday.
BFAR is the government agency responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources in the Philippines. It is under the Department of Agriculture.
On the other hand, the Maritime Group is one of the 12 National Operational Support Units (NOSU) of the Philippine National Police. It is mandated to perform all police functions over Philippine territorial waters, lakes and rivers along coastal areas to include ports and harbors and small islands for the security and the sustainable development of the maritime environment.
According to Defensor, most of the illegal fishers that Bantay Dagat apprehended were from neighboring provinces like Masbate, Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Capiz.
“Many fishermen, even from other provinces, are attracted to our rich fishing grounds. Sadly, some use illegal fishing methods such as destructive trawls or setting off dynamites,” said Defensor.
The Bantay Dagat is actually doing a good job but it could not possibly cover all of Iloilo’s waters from north to south, he stressed.
“Indi man ‘ni kaarapal ang aton Bantay Dagat kay kalapad-lapad sang aton dagat. Hikay mo pila ka pulo halin San Joaquin to Carles balantayan,” said Defensor.
Banias previous expressed concern that some personnel of the Bantay Dagat could be colluding with illegal fishers.
The task force’s composition was reorganized several times already, he said.
“We have revamped our Bantay Dagat three times to avoid familiarity (between task force members and fishermen),” said Banias.
He did not discount the possibility that some task force members may have established cordial relations with illegal fishers.
“That is why we are always on the alert,” said Banias. “Basta may suspetso kami, insigada ginapahalin namon. Wala kita sang may ginatolerar dira.”
Meanwhile, BFAR regional director Remia Aparri insisted the agency was doing its part in guarding Iloilo’s waters.
“BFAR, however, is not only limited to monitoring, conducting surveillance or patrolling waters. We are also doing what we call the soft-approach to the illegal fishing problem. We conduct information drives to our stakeholders, especially local government units,” said Appari.
In May, Banias summoned Bantay Dagat personnel to a meeting. They reviewed their strategies to curb illegal fishing in northern Iloilo.
Banias said some coastal municipalities lacked resources to protect their waters from illegal fishing activities.
“Expect more positive operations sang aton Bantay Dagat kay may mga stratehiya na kita nga na-formulate,” he said without elaborating on the new strategies.
He acknowledged the cooperation extended by coastal residents to the task force. They alert the Bantay Dagat if they spot illegal fishers, he said.
The Bantay Dagat has an annual budget of P7.5 million. The big chunk of this is for the maintenance of its equipment and fuel for its seven boats’ operation.
“Ang aton patrol boats dalagko, indi lahog-lahog ang ila sini konsumo. Kada-operate nila sina, may preparasyon gid kita,” said Banias.
He also clarified that fishes seized from illegal fishers are not sold but distributed to jails and provincial government-run hospitals./PN
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