Seized corals to be returned to sea

THE dead corals will be returned to the sea.

Regional Director Andres Bojo of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-7) gave this statement yesterday after the Bureau of Customs turned over the 168 sacks of confiscated black sea corals to the BFAR-7.

BFAR-7 Regional Director Andres Bojos said that even if the black corals were already dead, the agency would still return part of it to marine sanctuaries to serve as a habitat for fish.

“New corals would still grow on it once it is returned to the ocean,” Bojos told reporters.

Some parts of the corals will also be donated to academic institutions for research.

Bojos said that it is important for students to see the corals so they can identify the names of the endangered species.

“We are asking learning institutions to coordinate with the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DEPEd-7) and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) so that they can also coordinate with us for the distribution,” he said.

Since some NGOs have also shown interest in the corals, part of the confiscated cargo will be given to them.

“For the LGUs like Cebu City who would want to put a marine museum, they are also welcome to coordinate with our office,” he said.

Bojos, however, said the corals will have to be labeled first with their scientific names. Other procedures for protection of marine species also have to be complied with.

The 13,000 pieces of black sea corals estimated to be worth more than P15 million originally had blue, red and orange colors underwater. At present, they look stiff, dry and black.

A living coral only grows one inch every 10 years, said Bojo, as he held up a 13-inch sample in the press conference.

He said the corals would be brought to the M. Velez Compound of the Department of Agriculture where these will be stored until they are distributed to schools or returned to the sea.

The Bureau of Customs issued a decision of forfeiture for the corals yesterday.

This was the basis for authority to hand over the corals to BFAR-7.

BFAR-7, BOC the Port of Cebu and the Philippine Export Cebu also drafted an agreement to ensure the safety of endangered species still at sea.

“BFAR-7, BOC Port of Cebu and Phil Export Cebu came up with a memorandum of agreement to make sure that none of these endangered species leaves the port and out of the country,” Bojo said. /Reporter Candeze R. Mongaya and Correspondent Edison A. Delos Angeles