Concerned about the continued poaching in the Mantalip Reef, the Department of Agriculture will turn over to Oriental Negros Fisheries Office a patrol boat to monitor the fish-rich water off the coasts of Ayungon and Bindoy.

Agriculture Secretary Domingo Panganiban will turn-over the boat to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the province during his visit to the province on November 11.

The move came after the provincial government intensified plans to develop the reef area as one of the tourist destinations in Oriental Negros.

The provincial government is eyeing the transformation of the Mantalip Reef and Apo Island into two of the best diving sites in the world.

Apo Island is already known worldwide for its rich marine and coral reef resources, while the Mantalip Reef was proclaimed by the BFAR as a marine and fish sanctuary only recently.

Earlier, Gov. George Arnaiz had announced that his administration is undertaking a program to save the Mantalip Reef from illegal fishing activities.*RG

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