CARLES, Iloilo — Six residents of Barangay Buenavista were apprehended for engaging in illegal dynamite fishing off Sitio Naborot here.
The suspects were caught on Aug. 4 during a joint seaborne operation by the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force and the Carles Municipal Police Station, which intercepted two fishing vessels approximately 8.5 kilometers from shore — an area often targeted by illegal fishers due to its rich marine biodiversity.
Authorities recovered illegal fishing paraphernalia, including air compressors, fabricated clippers, diving goggles, and improvised scope nets — equipment typically used in dynamite and compressor fishing that wreak havoc on marine life and coral ecosystems.
The operation aimed to protect marine resources and the livelihood of law-abiding fisherfolk, said a member of the Bantay Dagat team.
All six suspects will face charges under Section 92 of Republic Act 8550 (The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998), as amended, which penalizes the use of explosives in fishing.
The confiscated equipment has been placed in the custody of the Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force, while fish samples collected from the operation are now under analysis by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 6 to aid in the investigation.
Authorities emphasized that the intensified campaign against illegal fishing is part of a broader strategy to preserve marine biodiversity and secure the long-term viability of the local fishing industry./PN
