ALAMINOS CITY–It pays to do some serious coastal resource protection.

Last October 16, the city held the “1st Ban-oitan ed Alaminos”, a hook-and-line fishing contest for the coastal communities.

The top winner in the motorized banca category, Victor Viray of Barangay Lucap, caught more than 16 kilos of assorted fish in just two hours.

In the not so distant past, the waters and reefs around the Hundred Islands were heavily damaged from years of illegal fishing activities and fish was no longer easy to come by.

But a committed marine protection program initiated by Mayor Hernani Braganza is now reaping benefits: the fishes are back.

The volume and diversity of the catch presented by the participating fishermen are proof that the regenerated reefs around the Hundred Islands have started to once again become attractive breeding ground for fishes.

Braganza, who conceptualized the contest, said the Ban-oitan (local word for fishing), is aimed to promote hook-and-line fishing in the city, which is the legal, safe and environment-friendly means of fishing.

He said that they had stopped illegal fishing activities in the Hundred Islands not just to protect their marine resources but also to promote equality and social justice.

“We defend our coastal waters from big time illegal fishers to safeguard the interest of our marginalized fishermen,” Braganza said.

BIG HAUL

Starting at six in the morning, Viray’s team on board their motorized banca managed to haul in 28 kilos by noontime and they decided to call it a day by then.

“We were a bit lucky we found the best spot to fish that’s why he had the most catch of the day,” Viray said.

A total of 94 fishermen participated in the event, which had a 2 p.m. deadline for the weigh-in.

All the fish were caught about two kilometers off the 1,844-hectare marine protected area as part of the rules of the said competition.

Fishermen from the villages of Lucap, Telbang, Victoria, and Pandan dominated    this year’s sports fishing contest.

City Agriculture Office officer-in-charge Arceli Talania said among the popular species caught by the participants were grouper (lapu-lapu), parrot fish (molmol), clown trigger fish (papakol), sword fish (layalay), jack fish and caranx (talakitok).

There were also fusilier (dalagang bukid), rabbit fish (malaga), eel (igat), sardine (tamban), threadfin bream (bisugo), emperor fish (lugso), goat fish (balaki), trumphet fish (tortorumpet) and therapon (baraoangan).

For the heaviest catch, the winners were Conrado Donato and Carlito Celino, for team and individual categories, respectively.

Under the non-motorized fishing boat category, the first prize winner was Danilo Palecpec, also of Barangay Lucap, with six kilos of catch.

Special prizes were awarded to Genaro Marquez of Barangay Pandan for the longest catch, a 70-cm eel under the team category, and Ernesto Malanum of Barangay Telbang, 71-cm swordfish under the individual category.

Some of the fish harvest during the contest was sold after the awarding. #

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