Talisay Increases Vigilance on Seas

To curb illegal fishing, the Talisay City government is strengthening Bantay Dagat group.

Pastor Solomon Paypa, who serves as the right hand of Mayor Johnny Delos Reyes, said their Bantay Dagat personnel is now 33, thrice as many compared in the last administration. Paypa said “the more people we have monitoring our seas the bigger chances we can arrest the illegal fishers.”

Paypa said the city is aware that Talisay’s municipal waters have been a favorite stopover for illegal fishers, and the worse is that its marine protected area, the Lagundi Reef, is among the victim. He said the lack of Bantay Dagat people roving in this area has made the reef vulnerable to illegal fishing, which prompted the mayor to increase the number of fish wardens.

Apart from the manpower, Paypa said additional boats to be used for patrolling will also be deployed in the seas, and communication gadgets will be given to the fish wardens for easy communication.

“We have to protect our seas not for us but for the future generations to come,” said Paypa.