Cyanide fishing seen as threat

Cyanide fishing seen as threat

MANILA (DPA): Environmental officials said yesterday that cyanide and dynamite fishing are threatening marine life in southern Philippine and Malaysian islands, but they are puzzled over the origin of the fishermen using the illegal practices.

The bureau for protected areas and wildlife of the Philippines, under the environment and natural resources department, warned the methods constitute a major threat to the Turtle Islands, six of which fall within Philippine territorial boundaries with the other three in eastern Malaysia.

"We need to have more military patrols in the area," said Rhodora de Veyra, a biologist, noting corals in a "protected area" are quickly diminishing.

The fishermen are after schools of tuna, shark and grouper that abound in the waters 1,000 kilometers southwest of Manila and 40 kilometers north of Sabah, Malaysia in the Sulu Sea.