PCG: The Coast Guard and personnel of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) confiscated a total of 16 boxes of fish that have evidences of blast fishing from a cargo vessel at Delpan Wharf in Manila last Thursday March 05.

Accordingly, the PCG in National Capital Region-Central Luzon (NCR-CL) received a report that MB Jemma-II arrived at said wharf on 05 March from Linapacan, Palawan loaded with boxes of fish.

Personnel of Coast Guard Sub Station (CGSS) Delpan and Marine Environmental Protection Unit (MEPU) were immediately alerted and subsequently boarded said boat. They found out that the fish caught from dynamite fishing are packed in ice boxes.

Dr Nilo Katada of BFAR NCR-CL, together with Seawoman First Class Maria Cristina Gonzales PCG, a certified fish examiner from the Marine Environmental Protection Command (MEPCOM) of PCG, jointly conducted examination to the fish and confirmed that at least 16 boxes loaded onboard said vessel contained illegally caught fishes.

Subsequently, BFAR personnel brought the boxes to their office in Quezon City for proper disposition.

The master of the vessel, Captain Nilo L Nicer Jr, was not onboard during the said inspection and the crew cannot determine the owner/shipper of the said cargoes. However, five crew onboard said vessel were brought to CGSS Delpan for formal investigation and other procedural matters prior filing a case.

MB Jemma-II with 34 GT/ 20 NT is owned and operated by San Nicholas Shipping Incorporated.