ILOILO — Authorities have apprehended five commercial fishing boats for allegedly engaging in illegal trawl fishing within the municipal waters of Concepcion, Iloilo, yielding millions of pesos worth of confiscated assets.
The joint maritime operation was executed at around 3:30 a.m. on July 5 off the coast of Sitio Baligiuan, Barangay Malangabang. The crackdown was led by the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force, with tactical support from the Regional Intelligence Unit 6.
According to the initial investigation, the operating team caught the vessels red-handed during a routine seaborne patrol. The boats were found in direct violation of Section 86 of Republic Act No. 10654, which prohibits unauthorized fishing activities within municipal waters.
The apprehended vessels and their respective captains — all residents of Victorias City, Negros Occidental — were identified as:
* F/B SHEREAN – piloted by alias “Jeff,” 56
* F/B BYB – piloted by alias “Nikka,” 38
* F/B NITOY – piloted by alias “Pedreng,” 41
* F/B RYLIE 2 – piloted by alias “Rick,” 52
* F/B NATNAT – piloted by alias “John,” 46
The boats were taken into custody by the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force while the five boat captains were detained at the Concepcion Municipal Police Station for proper disposition.
The midnight raid also resulted in the seizure of millions of pesos in equipment and poached marine life: P4 million worth of 5 fishing boats and paraphernalia and three tubs of assorted fish valued at P7,000.
PRO-6 director Brig. Gen. Randulf T. Tuaño commended the operating units for their vigilance and quick response in protecting Western Visayas’ marine ecosystems.
“PRO-6 will continue to support lawful, intelligence-driven, and coordinated maritime operations to protect our municipal waters, preserve marine resources, and safeguard the livelihood of legitimate fisherfolk,” said Tuaño. “We urge coastal communities to remain vigilant and report illegal fishing activities as part of our shared commitment to a safer and more secure Western Visayas.”/PN
