Amid the town’s own battle against drugs, the local government of Tubigon is also resolute in taking steps to eradicate the municipality’s perennial problem of rampant illegal fishing, its mayor said.

According to Tubigon Mayor William Jao, municipal authorities started to intensify the monitoring of fishing activities in the area to put an end to the rash of cyanide and dynamite fishing off the town’s coast.

The local government of Tubigon recently formed another seaborne patrol team replacing the existing monitoring group which was formed under the previous municipal administration.

Jao said that fishing activities remained unchecked under the town’s former mayor, Marlon Amila, while the livelihood of fishermen who engaged in legal fishing was severely affected.

The previous seaborne patrol failed to suppress illegal fishing as the activity even became more rampant under their watch, Jao added.

The town of Tubigon is among many coastal municipalities in Bohol affected by illegal fishing activities that are damaging the marine environment around the province.

According to Jao, the municipality is taking the issue even more seriously as the illegal activity also poses danger to people as there had already been several fishermen in the province who died from dynamite fishing.  (with reports from Allen Doydora)