A seaborne patrol operation of the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force led to the arrest of a suspected dynamite fisherman in the municipal waters off Culebra Island, Barangay Taloto-an, Concepcion.
The suspect, identified as Ronald Del Rosario Bacolod, 30, of Barangay Punta Batwanan, Carles, was apprehended while allegedly engaged in dynamite fishing, a prohibited and destructive fishing method penalized under Republic Act No. 10654, the amended Philippine Fisheries Code.
Joint elements of the Bantay Dagat Task Forceand the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company (IPMFC), conducted the operation with support from the Regional Intelligence Unit 6 (RIU6).
Authorities confiscated a municipal fishing boat, fishing paraphernalia valued at around P100,000, and about two kilograms of assorted fish worth P1,000.
The seized fish are set to be donated to government hospitals and charitable institutions.
Meanwhile, the suspect is currently under the custody of the Concepcion Municipal Police Station while appropriate charges are being prepared.
The operation underscores the government's commitment to safeguarding marine ecosystems, ensuring sustainable fish stocks, and protecting coastal communities whose income depends on legal and responsible fishing practices.
š·Dr. Raul Banias
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