By CESAR JOLITO III

Four individuals were apprehended in separate anti-illegal fishing operations in Negros Occidental’s Ilog and Hinigaran towns on Sunday, July 12.

The Ilog police, together with volunteers from the Municipal Bantay Dagat Task Force, intercepted a fishing boat engaged in illegal fishing activities at 4:45 p.m.

Arrested were three residents aged 25, 37 and 49 years old, residents of Himamaylan City’s Barangay Caradio-an.

Authorities said the suspects violated Section 5 of Municipal Ordinance No. 26, which prohibits certain illegal fishing activities within the municipality’s waters.

Recovered during the operation were a fishing net valued at P30,000 and approximately eight kilograms of assorted fish worth P1,000.

The three violators opted to pay a P6,000 fine.

Their fishing nets were confiscated.

Meanwhile, in Hinigaran, a 60-year-old fisherman was apprehended at around 2:02 p.m. during a seaborne patrol operation conducted by the Hinigaran police and the Task Force Bantay Dagat in the coastal waters of Barangay Gargato.

Authorities seized an unmarked motor banca valued at P45,000, a fine fishing net worth P5,000, and around 15 kilograms of assorted fish with an estimated value of P1,200.

The fisherman also chose to settle the violation by paying a P2,500 fine.

His boat, fishing nets and fish were confiscated./CCJ, WDJ