Catbalogan police chief pushes for stiffer penalties on illegal fishing

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
July 15, 2007

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  The Catbalogan Chief of Police sought stiffer penalties for illegal fishing to discourage the wanton and destructive style of fishing in Maqueda Bay.

In an interview with PIA, Police Superintendent (P/Supt) Ramil Ramirez said that he considers the penalties cited in Republic Act (RA) 8550 as just ‘to soft” that illegal fishermen can easily pay the fine and even repeat committing the offense.

He added that the Trawl method of fishing leaves no marine life intact.

Based on RA 8550 Trawl is an active fishing gear consisting of a bag shaped net with or without otter boards to open its opening which is dragged or towed along the bottom or through the water column to take fishery species by straining them from the water, including all variations and modifications of trawls (bottom, mid-water, and baby trawls) and tow nets.

The chief said that RA 8550 was drafted by the Tenth Congress still in 1998 and that the attendant penalties have just been “too easy’ for illegal fishers.

He said that the provisions especially in the penalties should be amended to be relevant with the times.

He also urged the government to provide alternative livelihood to these villagers as the usual reason for these offenses is ‘for a living’.

Catbalogan PNP has been successful in its seaborne operations and have apprehended several violators of the special law on fishing.

Meanwhile, the Catbalogan PNP Chief vowed to uphold the recent mandate of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno when he directed the PNP to pursue community-based programs with vigor.

Puno said that community-based law enforcement initiatives had won approval from a United Nations commission on crime prevention.

PNP chief Ramirez also acknowledged that their operations are fully supported by Catbalogan LGU.