Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental — Authorities apprehended around 60 fishermen aboard three large fishing vessels early morning of December 8, 2025, after they were caught operating within 15 kilometers from the shoreline near the Fishport in Brgy. Monserrat—an area strictly reserved for municipal fishers.
The group was first spotted by Bantay Dagat patrollers, who immediately coordinated with the Philippine Army and the Governor Generoso Municipal Police Station to intercept the vessels. Upon inspection, authorities found them engaged in unauthorized fishing activity inside the town’s municipal waters, prompting immediate action from the local government.
Mayor Juanito Inojales personally arrived at the scene to confront the fishermen and remind them that the area is off-limits to commercial fishing, emphasizing that the incident is a clear violation of local and national fisheries laws. The catch taken from the waters was subsequently confiscated by authorities.
The fishermen were released and allowed to return home but were ordered to report to the Mayor’s Office on the following day for a formal settlement and further investigation.
Protecting Municipal Waters: A Matter of Survival for Local Fishers
The operation highlights the critical importance of strictly enforcing municipal water boundaries, which extend 15 kilometers from the coastline. These areas are reserved exclusively for small-scale, subsistence, and municipal fishermen who depend on nearshore waters for their daily livelihood.
Illegal entry by larger vessels threatens:
- Local fish stocks, which are already vulnerable due to overfishing
- The livelihoods of small-scale fisherfolk who rely on these traditional fishing grounds
- The sustainability of marine resources meant for long-term community food security
Officials stressed that incidents like this must serve as a warning and a reminder that coastal municipalities have the right and responsibility to protect their waters from intrusion, exploitation, and unsustainable fishing practices.
As climate change, dwindling marine resources, and economic pressures continue to affect fishing communities, respecting municipal water boundaries is no longer just a legal requirement—it is a lifeline for thousands of Filipino families who survive day to day on what the sea can provide.
Authorities assure the public that monitoring efforts will continue to be intensified to safeguard Davao Oriental’s coastal resources and to ensure fairness, protection, and sustainability for the town’s municipal fisherfolk.