CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – At least 40 fishermen in Bataan province are set to help the local government units protect marine resources in their coastal waters as well as stop illegal fishing activities.
Wilfredo Cruz, regional director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Central Luzon (BFAR-3), on Tuesday said fishers from the towns of Hermosa, Orani, Abucay, Balanga, Pilar, Limay, Bagac, and Morong have recently undergone training in order for them to be appointed and deputized as Bantay Dagat volunteers.
Cruz said the training is geared to provide fisherfolk with the necessary legal, logistical and technical skills through lectures on national and local fisheries laws, vessel identification, detection of fish caught by explosives, conducting warrantless arrest and seizure and basic skills in completing legal forms.
“Sa pangkalahatan, ang pagsasanay ay nakatuon para sa pagpapalaganap ng Fisheries Law Enforcement Manual of Operation (In general, the training is focused on the promotion of the Fisheries Law Enforcement Manual of Operation), he said.
Meanwhile, Cruz cited the crucial role of the municipal fisherfolk in the protection and management of the coastal and fishery resources.
“Their volunteerism for the betterment of not just their communities but of their local environment,” he added.
The Bantay Dagat is a community-based law enforcement program that engages fisherfolk in coastal villages or barangays on a volunteer basis to support the detection and enforcement of illegal fishing in the coastal waters. (PNA)
