PCG reaches out to Ilocos fishers after reported sighting of Vietnamese boats

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is reaching out to local fishermen in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte after reports surfaced that their traditional fishing grounds are being frequented by Vietnamese fishing boats.
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of a Coast Guard aircraft over the weekend to verify reports that up to 20 Vietnamese fishing boats were swarming the coastal waters of Barangay Davila.
“Admiral Gavan deployed a PCG aircraft to conduct a maritime domain awareness flight to confirm the reported sighting of Vietnamese fishing vessels off the coast of Pasuiquin, Ilocos Norte. It was a three-hour flight. Unfortunately, we were not able to see the presence of the Vietnamese fishing vessels that circulated on social media,” PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a press conference on Monday, April 28.
In a video footage posted by Domingo Quilindrino on Facebook last April 25, a man could be heard calling out the attention of the government after claiming that his payao (fishing aggregate device) was tailed by Vietnamese fishing boats.
“Shout out to BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), Philippine Navy, or (Philippine) Coast Guard. I hope you do something about this. What a pity for us fishermen. Their boats won’t stop following our payao (fishing aggregate device),” the man said.
The Vietnamese fishing boats were reportedly harvesting valuable catches like blue marlin and tuna, to the disadvantage of Filipino fishermen.
“Those Vietnamese fishers should be urged to leave our fishing area. These Vietnamese are ruining our payao because they are holding and lighting it. They are catching all of the fish that’s why nothing is left for us. I hope the government could help us to drive them away,” the man in the video added.
Tarriela said the PCG is reaching out to local fishermen in Barangay Davila to officially document what really happened.
“We are now reaching out to the fisherman who posted this on social media to tell us the actual coordinates and the distance where they have located those fishing vessels,” he said.
“Because based on the MDA flight we conducted last Saturday, there is no Vietnamese fishing vessel in that area,” he added.