Tanauan,
Leyte (October 21) -- Another sea turtle
was caught by a fisherman at the coast of Tanauan,
Leyte in the afternoon of Saturday, October 20.
Tanauan Mayor Roque A. Tiu informed that Portacio
Mercado, a fisherman of Barangay Sto. Nino of
the said municipality reported that he caught
a big sea turtle in the coastal waters of Tanauan.
The sea turtle was turned over at the Bantay Dagat
headquarters in Tanauan for proper safe-keeping
while waiting for the staff from the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources to come to
Tanauan and put a tag on the sea turtle.
At first, the members of the Bantay Dagat thought
that one of the two sea turtles which were sent
back to the sea about two weeks ago returned,
Mayor Tiu said.
Upon inspection, however, the Bantay Dagat personnel
found out that the turtle does not have a tag
yet, so they concluded that this is another turtle.
It would be recalled that two Olive Ridley turtles
were caught in Tanauan shores about two weeks
ago and were released after the DENR put a tag
on the turtles.
Mayor Tiu said the presence of sea turtles in
the shores of Tanauan is an indication that the
local government's programs on environmental protection
is paying off.
Mayor Tiu added that the fisher folks of Tanauan
are now able to catch big fishes which means that
the bounties of the sea are able to thrive well
in Tanauan waters without any disturbance from
irresponsible fishermen.
The local government is strictly implementing
its fishing ordinance, Mayor Roque Tiu said. In
fact, in order to protect the coast of Tanauan
from unscrupulous fishermen, the municipality
is maintaining a very active Bantay Dagat team
armed with speed boat.
While the Bantay Dagat enforcers in other municipalities
are just mere volunteers, the local government
of Tanauan has included them in the payroll. This
will prevent graft and corruption in the implementation
of the municipality's fishery ordinance, Mayor
Tiu said. (PIA 8) |
