Felipe Mendoza, municipal agriculture officer of Limay, said the fishermen were on board four fishing boats that were impounded.
Police officers and members of Bantay Dagat seized about 27 coolers of small squid at 20-25 kilos per cooler, 25 kilos of assorted small fish like galunggong and two big fish.
Mendoza said local fishermen from barangay Saint Francis I and Saint Francis II in Limay volunteered to help the local fishery board in arresting the suspected illegal fishers.
“Gamit ang sariling mga bangka, pinagsalikupan nila ang apat na fishing boats para hindi na makaalis.”
He said that sighted this month were 50 fishing boats involved in trawl fishing so local fishermen were alarmed and informed Mayor Lilvir Roque who asked police and Bantay Dagat to keep tight watch.
He said that the trawl fishermen caught even small fish. “Kawawa ang maliliit na mangingisda na wala nang mahuling isda kaya tumutulong na sila para mapigilan ang iligal na pangingisda,” the municipal agriculturist said.
Some of the suspected illegal fishermen reasoned out that they were fishing in deep waters far from the municipal waters.
