Vietnamese poachers nabbed off Zambales

OLONGAPO CITY — Navy personnel on Wednesday arrested five Vietnamese fishermen poaching about 89 kilometers (48 nautical miles) west of Iba town in Zambales province.

The Vietnamese were taken to Balugo Pier in Masinloc town, also in Zambales, where officials of the Zambales Provincial Anti-Illegal Fishing Task Force were waiting, said chief petty officer Felix Sardan, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard substation in Masinloc.

According to Lt. Cmdr. Rodney Cudal, acting public affairs officer of the Navy’s Naval Forces Northern Luzon, the Navy personnel confiscated from the fishermen two sacks of dried squid and about 70 kilograms of freshly caught squid.

The fishermen were also caught using “super lights,” a reference to strong lighting equipment which fishermen attach to their boats to attract fish.

These strong lights are prohibited by Republic Act No. 8550, or the Philippines Fisheries Code of 1998. —Allan Macatuno