Another unmarked CFV, employing Modified Danish Seine (MDS) gear for fishing, was caught red-handed operating within the municipal waters of Tarangnan in Samar Sea

Another unmarked Commercial Fishing Vessel (CFV), employing Modified Danish Seine (MDS) gear for fishing, was caught red-handed operating within the municipal waters of Tarangnan in Samar Sea during the joint seaborne operation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 8 Enforcement and Regional Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance Operations Center (ERMSOC), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) MCS 1101 and Philippine Navy on January 23, 2024.

Despite receiving several warnings to halt their main engine, the crew of the vessel chose to run it aground, causing significant damage to the hull before abandoning the vessel. With the assistance of the Barangay Libucan Guti – Barangay Council, the apprehending team successfully refloated the abandoned vessel. Currently, the operation team is en route to Carigara, Leyte, towing the said CFV for safekeeping. Illegal fishing gear and 690 kilograms of fish were seized from the CFV, and the fish catch was subsequently donated to Barangay Libucan Guti, Tarangnan, Samar.

If proven guilty, the alleged owner, operator, boat captain, masterfisher, and recruiter/organizer may face a penalty as high as Php2M and imprisonment of two (2) to 10 years for violating FAO 246-1 (Banning of Operation of Danish Seine and Modified Danish Seine in Philippine Waters) and other sections of the amended Fisheries Code of the Philippines. They will also incur an additional administrative fine ranging from Php1M to Php2M for violating Section 115 (Obstruction to Fishery Law Enforcement Officer).

It can be recalled that two CFVs using MDS were previously apprehended within Samar Sea by ERMSOC 8 and PCG MCS 1101 on January 11, 2024. This led to the impoundment of the vessels and the seizure of their fishing gears and other materials.

To date, apprehending team is gathering the whereabouts of the owner of the said CFV and preparing the necessary documents for filing appropriate charges against the alleged transgressors.

Further, BFAR 8 will deploy additional floating assets in Samar Sea to significantly deter IUUF in this hotspot area. Said collaborative seaborne operation aims to implement stringent monitoring and protection of our fisheries and marine resources in Eastern Visayas, especially in the Samar Sea, which is known to be a hotspot for Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF) activities in the region.