In an effort to combat the trade of protected Philippine aquatic wildlife and enforce existing regulations, BFAR XI successfully conducted a joint mobile fisheries checkpoint in Digos City on July 4-5.

Led by the BFAR XI Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group, in collaboration with the Digos City Agriculture Office, Provincial Fisheries Office (PFO) Davao Del Sur, and Philippine National Police-Digos City, the operation took place at Barangay Balutakay.

A total of 23 fish cars were inspected during the evening, revealing that 20 of them did not secure Local Transport Permits (LTP). To facilitate compliance, the PFO Davao del Sur promptly issued LTP to the affected vehicles.

The fish cars were mostly from General Santos City, Kiamba, Maasim, Sultan Kudarat, and Lebak Palembang, en route to Digos City, Davao City Public Markets, Panabo, and Tagum Public Markets.

Continuing their efforts on July 5, the team inspected an additional 11 fish cars. Among these, five were found to lack LTP, while four possessed auxiliary invoice. The PFO Davao del Sur promptly issued permits to the vehicles without proper documentation to ensure adherence to regulations.

During the inspections, there were no prohibited fishery products or any serious offense committed relative to RA 10654, also known as An Act to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing series of 2015.

𝑃ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑦 𝐴. 𝐶𝑜𝑐𝑎𝑙, 𝑁. 𝑀𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑐𝑎