Authorities detained three men on Wednesday in Coron municipality for breaking laws intended to promote sustainable fishing methods, protect marine biodiversity, and stop the depletion of fish stocks in the waters of Palawan.
They were apprehended on April 10 within the vicinity of the sea waters of Barangay Bulalacao, Coron, northern Palawan, at 8 a.m. The arrested persons are all residents of the said barangay.
Police Major Ric Ramos, information officer of the Palawan Police Provincial Office (PPPO), shared that a certain Alias Don and two others were detained for catching leopard coral trout, also known as suno,during closed fishing season.
The provincial police say that this action goes against Section 100 of Republic Act 10654, also known as the Philippine Fisheries Code, and Section 16 of the Revised Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) Administrative Order (AO) No. 5, Series of 2014. These rules say how to catch, raise, trade, transport, and export reef fish for food.
According to the Administrative Order (AO), catching leopard coral trout or grouper (locally known as “suno”), estuary or green grouper (referred to as “loba”), tiger, brown marbled grouper (known as “lapung baboy”), and other species traded as reef fish commodities is prohibited during closed fishing seasons.
April to May is the designated closed fishing season for suno and other reef-fish-for-food species. During this period, fishing activities targeting these species are prohibited to facilitate their reproduction and population growth.
Ramos further shared that the personnel from the 2nd SOU-MG Coron MSBC and Coron MPS conducted a joint seaborne patrol operation in the sea waters near Bulalacao, which led to the apprehension of the three individuals onboard an unmarked motorized banca.
Confiscated from their possession were a motorized banca, assorted fish weighing an estimated 100 kilograms, valued at approximately ₱8,000, and 15 kilograms of suno fish valued at approximately ₱2,400.
The arrested individuals, confiscated fish and fishing paraphernalia were brought to 2nd SOU-MG Coron MSBC for documentation and proper disposition.
