Suspected Taiwanese poachers apprehended anew

Tuesday 19th of June 2012

TUGUEGARAO CITY, June 19 (PIA) -- A patrol boat of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR 2) has apprehended yesterday a commercial fishing vessel marked F/B JVP 1 for unauthorized fishing and poaching off Babuyan Island, north of this province.

Dr. Jovita Ayson, regional director of the BFAR 2 here, said that JVP 1 is a repeat offender, having been apprehended by authorities exactly two years ago, also in waters near Babuyan Island. Records show that JVP 1 has a pending case before the Office of Provincial Prosecutor in Aparri, Cagayan with docket number NPS 02a-INQ-10E-00121.

“Their recent apprehension will serve as aggravating circumstance, the fact that they still have pending criminal and administrative cases,” Ayson said.

Ayson also said the latest apprehension has bolstered BFAR’s resolve to go after dummy corporations or entities who are being used by foreign poachers to gain access to our fishing grounds. Papers presented by the suspected poachers indicate that JVP 1 is registered under the name of Joann Minas of Subic, Zambales.

According to Lt. Noriel Ramos, commander of the BFAR and Philippine Coast Guard- manned BFAR MCS 3007 patrol boat, they were on routine patrol mission when they intercepted the said fishing vessel.

Ramos said that the crew presented registration papers from the MARINA but failed to show their Commercial Fishing Vessel and Gear License, which prompted them to apprehend said fishing boat.

“The vessel was apprehended 16.3 nautical miles east off Babuyan Island, which is well within Philippine territory and was engaged in actual fishing as evidenced by the fact that the crew were hauling tuna long lines at the time of apprehension,” Ramos said.

Found in the vessel was one yellow fin tuna weighing 30 kilos, four sharks of about 50 kilograms each, and 150 boxes of squid bait. The minimal catch indicate that the vessel might have come from Taiwan and is just starting to fish, Leo Palolan, team leader from BFAR RO2, said.

JVP 1 was manned by two Taiwanese men and seven Filipinos

Immediately after their apprehension, the two Taiwanese nationals and the seven Filipinos were brought to the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Cagayan at Aparri, Cagayan for inquest proceedings. (Max Prudencio/TCB/PIA 2)