BALER, Aurora – Environment officials released a female hawksbill sea turtle, known locally as pawikan, recently in the waters of Baler Bay.
This after the three fishermen, identified as Ernesto Bayani, Marcelino Bayani and Vic Isaguirre turned it over to the Bantay-Dagat division of the Provincial Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (PFARO) in Aurora last week.
On the other hand, PFARO chief, Victoriano San Pedro Jr., turned-over the pawikan to Maximo Millan, chief of the Protected Area and Wildlife Service (PAWS) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) who released it to sea.
San Pedro said that local fishermen have been well-informed that the hunting or slaughter of pawikan is prohibited by law. “This was the reason why they (fishermen) immediately turned it (pawikans) over to authorities.”
Officials observed that residents are apparently being conscious of laws on natural resources, if not learning to really promote the welfare of the environment. Before, some fishermen would cook the turtles they fish out for pulutan.
However, authorities cracked down on such illegal practice following the passage into law of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. The law, aside from hunting and slaughter, bans the destruction of nests, collection of eggs, physical abuse, nurturing, sale or purchase of sea turtle meat or its by-products.
Officials said that violators face fines ranging between P100,000 to P1 million and a maximum prison term of 12 years.
San Pedro noted that aside from RA 9147, the preservation of pawikan is also provided in Executive Order 542 issued in June 1979 by then-President Ferdinand Marcos which gave birth to the Pawikan Conservation Project.
Another law, Republic Act 8550, otherwise known as the Fisheries Code of 1998, also prohibits the hunting of endangered sea species such as the pawikan with a fine of P120,000 and a prison term of 12 years.
