jigo
Contributor
i dont know which is worse finning sharks or stuffing turtles for ornaments!!!
Nine Chinese poachers nabbed in Palawan
By Redempto Anda
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:32:00 05/29/2010
Filed Under: Crime
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PhilippinesNine still unidentified Chinese nationals have been placed under the custody of the Philippine Coast Guard after they were caught poaching marine turtles inside Philippine waters last Thursday off Balabac Island in the southernmost tip of Palawan.
The Chinese, none of whom spoke English, arrived at the port of Puerto Princesa City from Balabac aboard their wooden fishing boat Saturday morning, escorted by the Bureau of Fisheries patrol craft MCS 3002 manned by Philippine Coast Guard personnel.
An initial inventory conducted Saturday by an inter-agency task force on the Chinese fishing vessel indicated that the fishing boat was engaged in the collection of marine turtles for ornamental purposes.
"There were bales of nets and cotton-like material that are used to stuff marine turtles, and chemicals such as formalin stored in the compartments of the fishing vessel," lawyer Adel B. Villena of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) told the Inquirer.
Authorities believe that many of the marine turtles that were caught by the Chinese crew were thrown overboard during a pursuit on the high seas that lasted over half an hour some 45 nautical miles northwest of Balabac island at around 5 a.m. Thursday.
"The Coast Guard personnel manning MCS 3002 skippered by Navy Captain Angel Lobaton said they observed the Chinese fishing crew frantically throwing overboard the turtles while they were being pursued by the Coast Guard," Villena said.
At least two stuffed marine turtles have been recovered so far by the government task force in an ongoing inventory of the vessel, Villena said, adding that they have also documented evidence of butchered turtle meat on board the fishing vessel.
"From the evidence we have seen so far, it really looked like this fishing vessel was engaged mainly in capturing marine turtles and stuffing them for ornamental purposes," Villena said.
Villena said they were coordinating with other government agencies to facilitate the filing of illegal entry, poaching and other charges against the Chinese.
Local authorities added that they were securing government assistance to translate documents in Chinese that were recovered and to interview the crew of the vessel.
The capture of the Chinese came in the wake of the release in April this year of another Chinese vessel, the Hoi Wan, which was held for nearly four years in Palawan on charges of poaching inside the Tubbataha national marine park.
Environmental activitists have accused the national government of bowing to Chinese diplomatic pressure by dismizssing the charges faced by the 30-man crew of the Hoi Wan.
Nine Chinese poachers nabbed in Palawan
By Redempto Anda
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:32:00 05/29/2010
Filed Under: Crime
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, PhilippinesNine still unidentified Chinese nationals have been placed under the custody of the Philippine Coast Guard after they were caught poaching marine turtles inside Philippine waters last Thursday off Balabac Island in the southernmost tip of Palawan.
The Chinese, none of whom spoke English, arrived at the port of Puerto Princesa City from Balabac aboard their wooden fishing boat Saturday morning, escorted by the Bureau of Fisheries patrol craft MCS 3002 manned by Philippine Coast Guard personnel.
An initial inventory conducted Saturday by an inter-agency task force on the Chinese fishing vessel indicated that the fishing boat was engaged in the collection of marine turtles for ornamental purposes.
"There were bales of nets and cotton-like material that are used to stuff marine turtles, and chemicals such as formalin stored in the compartments of the fishing vessel," lawyer Adel B. Villena of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) told the Inquirer.
Authorities believe that many of the marine turtles that were caught by the Chinese crew were thrown overboard during a pursuit on the high seas that lasted over half an hour some 45 nautical miles northwest of Balabac island at around 5 a.m. Thursday.
"The Coast Guard personnel manning MCS 3002 skippered by Navy Captain Angel Lobaton said they observed the Chinese fishing crew frantically throwing overboard the turtles while they were being pursued by the Coast Guard," Villena said.
At least two stuffed marine turtles have been recovered so far by the government task force in an ongoing inventory of the vessel, Villena said, adding that they have also documented evidence of butchered turtle meat on board the fishing vessel.
"From the evidence we have seen so far, it really looked like this fishing vessel was engaged mainly in capturing marine turtles and stuffing them for ornamental purposes," Villena said.
Villena said they were coordinating with other government agencies to facilitate the filing of illegal entry, poaching and other charges against the Chinese.
Local authorities added that they were securing government assistance to translate documents in Chinese that were recovered and to interview the crew of the vessel.
The capture of the Chinese came in the wake of the release in April this year of another Chinese vessel, the Hoi Wan, which was held for nearly four years in Palawan on charges of poaching inside the Tubbataha national marine park.
Environmental activitists have accused the national government of bowing to Chinese diplomatic pressure by dismizssing the charges faced by the 30-man crew of the Hoi Wan.
