WHILE the police are busy coping with the war on drugs, the local government of San Fabian’s has been busy waging its own war against illegal fishing activities in its coastal waters.

And the town’s efforts have resulted in almost zero illegal fishing in the town’s coastal areas.

According to Mayor Constante Agbayani said that since he declared war on illegal fishing, fishermen in the coastal areas of Barangay Rabon, Nibaliw-Vidal, Nibaliw-Sabangan and Alacan have since cooperated.

“Two dynamite fisherman have already been shot, and since then, dynamite fishing has stopped,” the mayor said.

Constante said he had talked to and appealed to fishermen known to be involved in dynamite fishing to stop. “Those who will not stop will be stopped by a .38 or a .45 (referring to the two deadly pistols).

The mayor, however, lamented that while fishermen in his town have finally stopped, San Fabian police monitored fishermen from Sto. Tomas La Union entering San Fabian coastal areas to do illegal fishing.

He said, San Fabian police recently arrested 40 fishermen from Sto. Tomas La Union who were caught fishing within the 6 kilometer municipal water of San Fabian for trawling. Among those was a certain Sgt. Carbonel who tried to bribe the mayor in exchange for their liberty.

But the case filed before he regional trial court (RTC) in Dagupan Cty was eventually dismissed due to lack of evidence.

Constante appealed to the local officials of La Union to cooperate with the town and to discipline their constituents who resort to illegal fishing. (Nora Dominguez)

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