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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – Illegal fishing is in the agenda of the meeting of governors on July 22 in Sicogon Island in Carles, Iloilo.
Arthur Defensor Sr. of Iloilo province will also bring up “market denial,” a new strategy to combat the problem.
Under the measure, hawkers will be discouraged from accepting dynamited fishes and selling them.
“Sugilanonan namon na sang seryoso (We will discuss this at length),” said Defensor.
The Visayan governors’ meeting will tackle issues on the Visayan Sea.
Illegal fishing remains to be a “big” problem, especially in the Visayan Sea, a major source of marine resources in the region, Defensor said.
Governors Alfredo Marañon Jr. of Negros Occidental, Hilario Davide III of Cebu and Antonio Kho of Masbate are attending.
Mayors from the Iloilo towns of Balasan, Banate, Barotac Viejo, Batad, Carles, Concepcion, Estancia, and San Dionisio are coming, too.
‘KASAG’
According to Defensor, illegal fishing threatens blue crabs, locally known as kasag.
“Nagakadula na ang aton mga kasag. Ang batasan sang iban, ginakaon ang kasag nga may bihod (Our crabs are gradually vanishing, especially because of those who consume crabs carrying spawn),” he said.
A provincial ordinance prohibits catching small crabs and berried crabs. This must be strictly enforced, said the governor.
The market denial strategy may help with this problem as well.
“Indi pagbaklon ang kasag nga may bihod. Kon baklon mo kag makita sa tinda, ang nagabaligya amo ang may salabton (Don’t buy crabs carrying spawn. If you do, whomever you buy it from will be held accountable),” said Defensor.
DYNAMITED FISH
The Iloilo Bantay Dagat Task Force recently met with Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and came up with a “unified approach” in curbing illegal fishing, which includes the use of trawls and dynamites.
Under the market denial strategy, vendors must refuse dynamited fish, said Provincial Administrator Raul Banias.
“Fish identified as dynamited must be confiscated,” stressed Banias, also the Bantay Dagat Task Force head.
Capitol will also allow the BFAR to use its patrol boats and coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Command in monitoring beyond the municipal waters of Iloilo, Banias said./PN
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