Aurora coastal towns’ drive versus dynamite fishing boosted with patrol boat

DIPACULAO, Aurora March 22, 2011-A big boost following the turn-over of a 24 feet patrol boat to local government officials in this town to protect coastal resources and deter dynamite fishing and other illegal and destructive fishing practices along this municipality’s coastlines where the high-quality fiber glass patrol boat was turned over by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources to Mayor Reynante Tolentino and Vice Mayor Teresita Obillio in ceremonies at the municipal fish nursery in Barangay Lobbot.

The patrol boat was distributed in line with the PL 480 project entitled “improving enforcement capability in fishery and coastal resources management.” It is the first local currency project for fisheries and coastal resource management at the municipal level.

Sarmiento said that the project complemented the national fisheries program in the conservation, protection and proper management of fishery and coastal resources. He said its primary objectives are to arrest illegal and destructive fishing practices through provision of coastal law enforcement tools and capacitate beneficiary LGUs through training to effectively undertake active coastal law enforcement within their respective municipal waters.

Another beneficiary of the patrol boat was the town of Casiguran under Mayor Reynaldo “Binsu” Bitong.

“The component of the project is the conduct of training on marine engine operation, repair and maintenance and assignment of fish wardens,” Remedios Ongtangco, BFAR Region 3 director said.

The patrol boat, whose hull is made of fiber glass, has a 135-horsepower engine equipped with a hand-held Global Positioning System and four mobile radios with base receiver. It has a minimum speed of 20 knots, has a fuel capacity of 250 liters and can accommodate up to six persons on board.

Tolentino who accepted the donation on behalf of the municipal government said that it would help the locality in further intensifying its coastal protection activities as well as enhance its municipal fish nursery where hatchery-bred milkfish, seabass and other high-value marine species from fry to fingerlings are being reared to sustain the intensive requirement of the mariculture park in Casiguran town.

It was witnessed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, BFAR executive director Malcolm Sarmiento, assistant director Gil Adora, BFAR regional director for Central Luzon Remedios Ongtangco,  National Maritime Fisheries Development Center chief Alma Dizon, South East Asia Fisheries Development Center chief Dr. JubertToledo and municipal fish nursery project-in-charge Rex Margen among others.

Sen. Edgardo Angara, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara and Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo negotiated the donation with BFAR officials. (Jason de Asis)