New Bantay Dagat head issues warning to fish dealers

CEBU, Philippines - The new head of the Bantay Dagat Task Force warned fish dealers to refrain from transporting illegally-caught fish products to Cebu City so they will not suffer huge financial loses when these will be confiscated by them as part of the market denial.

Ranulfo Sebusa, who used to be the regional director of the PNP Maritime Police District, was appointed by Mayor Michael Rama to head the Bantay Dagat task force with a specific instruction to intensify the campaign against illegal fishers and to revive the market denial of illegally-caught fish.

Sebusa said close to two tons of fish products that were found to be caught with the use of explosives were seized by his men hours after these were transported to the city Thursday night from Zamboanga City.

Nobody claimed ownership of the fish products that were placed inside two huge boxes when these were confiscated by the Bantay Dagat operatives after these were unloaded from M/V Zamboanga Ferry.

Sebusa said the fish examiners from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) examined some of the marine products and confirmed that these were caught using explosives.

Right after he assumed the post two weeks ago, he quickly hired some informers from different places, including in Mindanao, to alert them in case there will be illegally-caught fish products that will be brought here.

Sebusa estimated the confiscated fish product to cost not less than P150,000 although some observers said it could be more.

The seized marine products were donated to the various charitable institutions yesterday, including the Parian Drop-in Center, Cebu City Jail and others.

“Akong awhagon ang mga negosyante og isda nga dili gayud motumod og mga binuthan og ubang isda nga kuha sa illegal nga paagi kay sigurado kini nga among sakmiton kun masakpan,” Sebusa said. (FREEMAN)