PCG-Dumaguete implements number system on seacrafts

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard in Dumaguete City is implementing the safety security and environmental numbering system for all seacrafts in its areas of responsibility in Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces.

PCG-Dumaguete station commander Lieutenant Junior Grade Donalisa Ramacho recently met with a group of fishermen in the city to apprise them of the Department of Transportation's memorandum circular No. 2017001 to be implemented in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture headed by city agriculturist William Ablong.

The numbering system for all water crafts of fishermen in Dumaguete will make it easy to identify fishermen who are not from this place, while monitoring illegal fishing activities around Tañon Strait.

Ramacho said that, with the numbering system, fishermen from other places just cannot intrude into the seawaters of Dumaguete, and vice versa "to be fair to everybody."

Painting of serial numbers with "DGT" initials as the prefix on the bodies of fishing boat-owned by members of the city fishermen's federation-have been started, with the issuance of certification, similar to taxis and tricycles.

The "DGT" prefix on the number will indicate that a fishing boat is from Dumaguete City, and make it easy for authorities to identify in case of emergencies, said Ramacho, who however added that it would be better if a local ordinance is approved for the purpose..

The implementation of the numbering system was carried out after fishermen's groups in the northern part of Negros Oriental—BATMAN (or the towns of Bindoy, Ayungon, Tayasan and Manjuyod)—implemented a color coding system on their boats for easy identification, and for safety and security reasons.

According to the report, fishing boats in Tayasan are painted with yellow, and in Bindoy green with white, as examples.

Meanwhile, the provincial fishery office disclosed that out of 92 commercial fishing vessels, 30 are still operating illegally, unreported and unregistered (IUU), while more than a hundred are still in the process of acquiring permits. (FREEMAN)