ILOILO CITY — A suspected dynamite fisherman was arrested during a seaborne patrol operation conducted by the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force in the municipal waters off Culebra Island in Barangay Taloto-an, Concepcion, authorities said.

The suspect, identified as Ronald Del Rosario Bacolod, 30, a resident of Barangay Punta Batwanan, Carles, was allegedly caught engaging in illegal dynamite fishing, a destructive practice prohibited under Republic Act No. 10654 or the amended Philippine Fisheries Code.

The operation was carried out by joint elements of the Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force and the 2nd Iloilo Provincial Mobile Force Company (IPMFC), with intelligence support from the Regional Intelligence Unit 6 (RIU-6).

Authorities seized a municipal fishing boat, assorted fishing paraphernalia with an estimated value of P100,000, and approximately two kilograms of assorted fish worth around P1,000.

The confiscated fish will be turned over to government hospitals and charitable institutions as part of the proper disposition of the seized catch.

The suspect is currently detained at the Concepcion Municipal Police Station pending the filing of appropriate charges for violations of fisheries laws.

Provincial authorities said the operation reflects the government's continuing efforts to curb illegal fishing activities, protect marine resources, and preserve fish stocks for future generations.

Officials also emphasized that intensified enforcement operations are essential to safeguarding the livelihood of law-abiding fisherfolk and maintaining the ecological integrity of Iloilo's coastal waters.