3 Vietnamese Fishing Boats Caught For Trespassing
Vietnamese Fishing Boats Caught – Three Vietnamese fishing vessels have been arrested by the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea at 21 nautical miles off Dile Point in Sta. Catalina, Ilocos Sur.
In a report by Interaksyon, the said vessels carry 17 crew members have been stopped for illegal fishing in the area.
The said Vietnamese boats have been found by the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources while conducting a joint seaborne patrol. The said action, according to the report, is part of the efforts done to eradicate illegal commercial fishing in the said area.
Task Force 11 Commander Ronnie Paba of Naval Forces Northern Luzon said in the report that these Vietnamese fishermen were caught 21 nautical miles off the coast of Ilocos Sur, poaching.
According to the report, the Vietnamese fishermen, based on the investigation, have admitted that they were using illegal “super lights” that produces bright lights that attract more fishes but, causes the lives of small fishes in the water.
The names of the Vietnamese crewmen are being identified by the Bureau of Immigration personnel with the help of an interpreter.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency have searched all the fishing vessels for illegal drugs using their K-9 units, but appeared to be negative.
These Vietnamese men do not have any documents to show that they can enter the Philippine territory. Also, they are considered illegal entrants as they are doing illegal fishing in the foreign territory, as Paba said.
The foreign fishing vessels were arrested by the BRP Salvador Abcede and BRP Hilario Ruiz, patrol ships of Naval Task Force 11 Philippine Navy, and its crew were turned over to the Regional Committee of Illegal Entrants.
What can you say about the action of the Philippines towards illegal fishing and trespassing on its territory?