Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Piñol told fisherfolk in the coastal village of Dinahican here that he will ask President Duterte to suspend local chief executives who do nothing against illegal fishing activities. “I’ve asked the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) to identify the towns with mayors who are doing nothing to stop illegal fishing activities in their localities,” Piñol said in Filipino during a forum with local fishermen Friday morning. He said that according to BFAR, the Philippines — an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands — loses R30 billion a year due to illegal fishing and foreign poaching of aquatic resources.

Quismorio, E. (2017, May 7), Piñol warns coastal mayors: Stop illegal fishing or else…. Manila Bulletin, p. 8.