Capitol expands task force on illegal fishing

THE northern cluster of Cebu Province’s anti-illegal fishing task force will be set up today in San Remigio town, north Cebu.

Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia said the northern cluster, which she dubbed “Coastal Resource Management and Protection Cluster,” will be made up of the towns of Medellin, San Remegio, Tabuelan and Tabogon.

Garcia will sign an agreement with the town mayors and turn over a half-a-million-peso check to fund the cluster’s operations.

Equipment such as GPS locators and high-powered search lights will also be turned over.

The Bantay Dagat Team in these towns will be receiving insurance policies.

The anti-illegal fishing task force created three action teams for surveillance, seaborne patrols and apprehension and checkpoints.

In Cebu City, six new 24-footer fiberglass patrol boats were turned over to officials of six different towns and cities in Cebu at the South Road Properties.

Officials of the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Bogo and the towns of Liloan, Carmen, Alegria and Badian received the patrol boats donated by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Dr. Alma Dickson, chief of the National Marine Fisheries Development Center, said the boats will be useful in the government’s campaign against illegal fishing and poachers. Correspondents Carmel Loise Matus and Edison delos Angeles