(Photo courtesy: BFAR)
TACLOBAN CITY- A stranded spinner dolphin was brutally speared with a bamboo pole by river-goers in Victoria, Northern Samar.
In a video sent by a concerned citizen to the regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), it showed how the spinner dolphin locally known as lumba-lumba tried to swim away from the river but was mercilessly speared instead.
The bureau said the incident occurred on April 5.
The municipal agriculturist and AT-fisheries initially responded to the site, but they were not able to see the spinner dolphin in Bangon River anymore, according to the BFAR.
Witnesses said the dolphin could have swim away from the river.
After the dolphin was killed, a resident has chopped it and brought its meat to his house in Sitio Karawisan of the said town.
Authorities however did not find the dolphin’s carcass at the residence of the suspect.
Local officials in Victoria are investigating the incident.
While the regional BFAR Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group (FPLEG) and Northern Samar Provincial Fishery Office are closely coordinating with the Victoria Municipal Police Station for the arrest of the suspect.
“Killing of rare, threatened and endangered fishery species such as spinner is a violation of Fisheries Administrative Order No. 208,” BFAR said.
It added that violation of this order shall hold the offender liable to the penalty of imprisonment from 12 years to 20 years or a fine of P120,000.
Commonly found off-shore tropical water, a spinner dolphin is a small dolphin known for its acrobatic displays like spinning and leaping through the air.
BFAR urged the public to immediately report similar illegal activities to authorities for swift action and implementation of the country’s fishery laws. (RONALD O. REYES)
