Dolphin caught in old fishing net off Ilocos Norte rescued

BADOC, Ilocos Norte—Fishermen have rescued a two-meter-long dolphin  that got entangled in an old fishing net abandoned in the municipal waters of this town.

Fisherman Francisco Vergara related to authorities here Tuesday that he went to sea at about 3 a.m. last Thursday and saw the distressed dolphin caught in a discarded fishing net in the sea off the villages of Pagsanaan Sur and Pagsanaan Norte.

Vergara said he alerted other fishermen and his cousin, a member of the Pagsanaan community watch, to call for help and rescue the dolphin.

Local fishery officials have yet to identify the dolphin’s species but Arthur Valente, a fishery regulatory coordinator of the provincial government, said the dolphin, which weighed about 95 kilograms, appeared to be strong and would be released soon.