A group of deputized fish wardens, equipped with the knowledge and skills from a recent training course, are now ready to serve as force multipliers in protecting Davao del Norte’s vulnerable marine resources from illegal fishing activities.

The Basic Fishery Law Enforcement Course, held from October 16-18, 2024, was attended by 25 participants from Davao del Norte, including Local Government Unit (LGU) Fisheries Technicians, Deputized Fish Warden/Bantay-Dagat, and representatives from the Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Group, and City and Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (C/BFARMC).

The training was a collaborative effort between BFAR XI’s Provincial Fisheries Office of Davao del Norte, Regional Adjudication Committee Secretariat (RACS), Enforcement and Regional Monitoring Control and Surveillance Operation Center (ERMCSOC), Regional Fisheries Training and Fisherfolk Coordination Division, and the LGU Panabo City, Davao del Norte.

Atty. Rachel Mernil O. Maratas-Bacera, Hearing Officer of the BFAR Regional Adjudication Committee Secretariat (RACS), led the discussion on the salient features of Republic Act 10654 (An Act to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (IUUF)) and Republic Act No. 9147 (Wildlife Resources Protection and Conservation Act). Additionally, the training covered the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora and pertinent provisions in the Forestry Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree 705).

ERMCSOC personnel covered topics such as Basic Intelligence Gathering and Surveillance Techniques, Classification of Fishing Gears, Detection of Fish Caught Through Explosives, Marine Mammal Stranding Response, Pre-boarding Procedures, Familiarization of legal forms, Preparation of Affidavits, and Tabletop Exercise.

Participants were also immersed in simulation on pre-boarding and boarding procedures and basic knot-tying to reinforce the practical application of the learned knowledge.

Upon completion of the course, deputized fish wardens are now equipped to effectively apprehend fishery law violators and contribute to the sustainable management of marine resources in the region. Their presence is crucial to strengthening fisheries law enforcement and protecting vulnerable fishery resources.