9 nabbed for illegal fishing in Navotas

NBI presents nine illegal fishing suspects in Navotas City in a press conference on Thursday (Aug. 10, 2017) (NBI Photo)

MANILA, Aug. 10 – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Thursday announced the arrest of nine persons in Navotas City for illegal fishing.

NBI Director Dante Gierran identified the suspects as Jun Esatan, boat captain, Ronulfo Perez, Ervin Tremotcha, Floro Dela Jente, Rolly Beling, Tirso Beling, Leomar Jugaran (boat captain), Rolando Rusiana, and Riche Langit.

Gierran said the NBI received the information that several individuals were engaged in unauthorized fishing activities using modified Danish Seine also locally known as “hulbot” within the waters of Navotas.

Danish seine is similar to a small trawl net, but the wire warps are much longer and there are no otter boards. The seine boat drags the warps and the net in a circle around the fish. The motion of the warps herds the fish into the central net.

Afer validating the information, the NBI’s Environmental Crime Division operatives led by its Atty. Czar Nuqui conducted the operation on Wednesday using two motorized bancas.

During the operation, NBI operatives asked the boat captains of hulbots with marking ‘F/V Patricia-E, Patricia Aaron to present fishing permit but failed to as they were placed under arrest for violation of Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 amended by Republic Act No.10654 or “an act to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal or unauthorized, unreported and unregulated fishing, such as operating a commercial vessel with no license and possession of of a fishing gear or operating a fishing vessel in a fishing area with no license, among others.

Under Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 246, series of 2014, the use and operation of Danish Seine and modified Danish Seine are already banned in Philippine waters.

NBI and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) personnel seized the hulbots and other fishing paraphernalia from the suspects.

Charges will be filed against the suspects before the Department of Justice Task Force-Environmental Crimes.