According to the regional Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), the fish were from Linapacan, Palawan, and bound for Manila.
According to a press release by the DA-BFAR MIMAROPA dated August 5, Provincial Fisheries Officer (PFO) Rey Templonuevo in Coron was alerted by quarantine inspector Deejay Labiaga that the latter was suspicious of one of the shipments applying for a local transport permit (LTP). The shipment in question was 17 boxes marked “GB,” and was identified to have come from Linapacan.
After calling local fish examiner Deo Fajardo, PFO Temponuevo, Labiaga, and personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and fishery law enforcement inspected the fish contained in the boxes. After examination, Fajardo confirmed that the fish were indeed caught using dynamite blasting.
Most of the fish were of the Caesio species, a variety of fusilier fish, or variants of the “dalagang-bukid.”
The fish were then confiscated and donated to charity institutions, according to the press release. The fish’s handler was also apprehended for violating Section 126 of Republic Act (RA) 8550, also known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, as amended by RA 10654.
Distributing and selling fish caught by dynamite fishing is still illegal under the same fisheries code.
