MANILA, Philippines—Parañaque City mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. Tuesday ordered a tighter watch along the city's coastal areas following reports that the shores are being used by smugglers to bring in illegal drugs and other items.

Bernabe said the shores are also reportedly being used by some illegal fishermen.

"I have received reports that illegal drugs are stuffed inside the bellies of newly-caught fish and smuggled via the city's shores. We should be vigilant and stop these illegal activities," the mayor said.

Bernabe met with the city's peace and order council, officials of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippine National Police's Maritime Group after hearing that heavily armed men aboard speedboats are smuggling contraband through their shores.

Aside from illegal fishing and reports of illegal drugs smuggled through the city's coastal areas, Bernabe said dynamite fishing has remained active in the area.

"We will not allow our marine resources to be destroyed by illegal methods of fishing. More so, we will not permit our coastal territories to become a breeding ground for criminal activity," the mayor said.

Bernabe swore to tighten security along the coastal areas of Paranaque City before the smugglers establish themselves in the city.

Meanwhile, the mayor also directed officials to fully implement City Ordinance No. 06-02 or the city's comprehensive fishery ordinance, which would require fishermen to register boats weighing three tons and below.

The ordinance, Bernabe said, aims to protect the Ilog Palanyag and other coastal waters from pollution and other fishing methods like dynamite fishing; use of super fine nets and trawls.

Under the ordinance, owners of fishing vessels are required to secure an annual registration. For owners of four-cylinder motor fishing boats, the fee is P300; boats with 16-horsepower and above engines, P200; boats with below 16-hp, P100. Non-motorized boats will be required to pay a registration fee of P50.

Bernabe said owners of boats with only a two-person capacity need not pay any license fee but they will be still required to register their boats.

In a meeting with fishermen and the Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, special services officer Dean Calleja and agriculture officer Fe Ferolino pointed out that the registration is necessary for both accreditation and security purposes.