Tons of blasted fish recovered; fishing vessel, crew held
Iloilo -- A composite team against illegal fishing has recovered tons of fish believed to have been caught with the use of explosives.
Elements of Task Force Snapper were able to recover about four tons of assorted blasted fishes from the hold of F/V 3 Sisters 88 during an operation conducted last Monday at the Fishing Port Complex in Barangay Tanza Baybay.
Personnel from the Philippine Navy led by PO2 Felicisimo Rado and the Philippine Coast Guard le by Chief Petty Officer Hernan Velasco boarded the fishing vessel at around 9:30 pm.
City Agriculturist Jose Gil Parreñas, a member of the TF Snapper, said that they have also impounded the fishing vessel, which is now docked at the Iloilo River, just across the Customs house in Muelle Loney, City Proper.
The Task Force also arrested the 17 crew members of the fishing boat. As of noon time yesterday, authorities were still investigating the crew members.
The crew members arrested are Cirilo Rubin, tagged as the owner and captain of the vessel, Alberto Dupal-ag, Alan Sagang, Bobby Sagang, Crisanto Sagang, Ronnie Aureta, Marvin Aguilar, Edcel Espinosa, Romeo Tapia, Bryan Fria, Benigno Sagang, Delmar Rubin, Ricky Magsayong, Christopher Impis, Salem Impis, Loreto Nacilla, and Sanson Garcia, all residents of this Barangay North Baluarte, Molo district, this City.
Parreñas told The News Today that the fishes bore signs of blast fishing.
The fish bends when you hold them in the middle, and you hear the spinal column break when you swing it from the tail, he said.
Parreñas also said that when they dissected a sample from the catch, the internal organs were already disintegrated due to the underwater blast.
"These are signs that the fish were caught through blast fishing," he pointed out.
Charges of violation of Republic Act 8550, or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines are now being readied against the crew for possessing blasted fish.
Parreñas said that the fishes will be given to charitable institutions after they have finished investigating the suspects.