PIA Press Release
Wednesday, January 25, 2012Tagum’s Bantay Dagat team confiscates illegal fishing materialsTAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Jan. 25 (PIA) -- A midnight operation by Tagum City’s Bantay Dagat forces led to the confiscation of materials used for illegal fishing at Sitio Garinan, Barangay Madaum this city last January 24, 2012.But the team was not able to arrest the estimated 13 fishermen as they escaped immediately before the city’s anti-illegal fishing team arrived. A beach seine which is locally known as “baling” with a measurement of 100 meters long attached with mosquito net on its base is now impounded at the Bantay Dagat’s headquarters in Barangay Liboganon Bantay Dagat team head Emiliano Dakingking, Jr. said that the fishermen’s pump boat and a row boat were also impounded. Dakingking said that these materials are owned by a certain fishermen in the nearby barangay of Bucana in Maco, Compostela Valley province. His team closely monitored the fishermen’s illegal activities for three weeks in the said area. He said that each illegal activity lasted for only an hour, so as to evade authorities. Illegal fishing activities are prohibited under Republic Act 8550 or The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, particularly Sections 89 and 90 which bans the use of fine mesh nets and active gears within the municipal waters, respectively. (CLC/CIO-Tagum City) | 
