The local government of Lapu-Lapu in Cebu City in the Philippines on Wednesday said it will intensify its monitoring and surveillance systems to effectively detect and deter illegal fishing activities around the historical island city.
Mayor Junard Chan made the warning against illegal fishers after a doctor, who is also a diver, posted on social media a video of several dead fish lying on the seabed, reportedly killed by dynamite fishing.
“In response to this issue, the local government is fully committed to enforcing strict laws and regulations against dynamite fishing,” Chan said in a statement.
He also said he will convene officials of all coastal barangay (villages) in mainland Lapu-Lapu and Olango Island, along with the maritime police, City Agriculture Fishery Office and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 7, to plot monitoring and surveillance systems that will fight illegal fishing activities.
“We are actively collaborating with relevant authorities to ensure the preservation and sustainable management of our marine resources. It is crucial to recognize that tourism plays a vital role in the economy of Lapu-Lapu City,” the mayor added, as he condemned “the reprehensible practice of dynamite fishing.”
The use of explosives in fishing not only leads to the indiscriminate killing of fish but also inflicts significant harm on coral reefs and other crucial marine habitats, he said.
In his Facebook post, Dr. Jeffrey Lim called on BFAR to prosecute fishermen who are into dynamite fishing.