Now, there’s Oplan Tokhang also for illegal fishing
ILLEGAL fishing remains a problem in the different coastal areas in Pangasinan despite the intensified campaign waged by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) against it.
BFAR Region 1 Director Nestor Domenden said to further intensify its campaign, the agency in collaboration with the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office and other agencies, is considering to adopt Oplan Tokhang in the province in its campaign against illegal fishing.
BFAR also collaborates with PNP Maritime, Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine Navy and Bantay Dagat Team of the 14 coastal towns and cities in the province.
Domenden said like the Oplan Tokhang in the war on drugs, the PNP will visit the fishermen known to be involved in rampant illegal fishing in their homes and will be asked to stop their illegal activities with the warning that they will be charged in court if they are caught again.
He cited the success of the San Fabian Police that had adopted the ‘Tokhang’ strategy, and with the help of Lighthouse volunteers, illegal fishing in the town has since been greatly minimized.
San Fabian town used to be the hotspot for illegal fishing in Pangasinan.
P/ Chief Inspector Arvin Jacob, San Fabian chief of police, said that since ‘Oplan Tokhang’ and the organization of the Lighthouse Volunteer program, most of the known fishermen engaged in illegal fishing have stopped their illegal activities.
The Lighthouse program has volunteers in every barangays tasked with monitoring illegal fishing while the San Fabian government provided the local police with a speed boat for its seaborne patrol.
Jacob said the handheld radios issued by 4th District Rep. Christopher de Venecia in every barangay helped greatly in improving the speedy response of the police station to the barangays particularly in remote areas where cellphone signal is a problem.
The San Fabian Police continuously monitors the coastal area of Barangay Rabon, particularly along the boundary of San Fabian and Rosario in La Union.
Domenden said BFAR is also planning to implement a ‘closed-fishing season’ in the selected coastal areas in the province. (Nora Dominguez)
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