A group advocating the protection of the seas’ resources said there is a need to prosecute more illegal fishers caught in the Visayan Sea, one of the country’s richest fishing grounds. “Our courts also need to prioritize these to further deter illegal fishing,” said Mar Guidote, director for government relations of Oceana Philippines. Oceana has been working with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in training judges and prosecutors from the islands of Panay, Negros and Cebu to handle fisheries cases.

Yap, T. (2019, August 2). Gov't asked to get tough on illegal fishers. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.