The Philippines is buying nearly 100 new patrol boats to protect its fisheries, an official said Monday, in a substantial expansion from its current fleet of 20 as it responds to poaching by Chinese and Taiwanese vessels. Most of the ordered vessels -- 71 short-range boats for coastal patrols and 27 able to go further out to sea -- will be delivered this year, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources chief Asis Perez said. "This is just fulfilling our mandate. Our country has eight times more sea area than land area. We have 36,000 kilometres (22,370 miles) of coastline and over 7,100 islands," he told AFP. Philippines buys 100 patrol boats to combat poachers - Yahoo News
We will see when they arrive if they are used as intended, I asked about the bantay dagat patrol boats they received a few years back. Sorry sir no budget for fuel, I wasn't surprised.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm If the PI Police of any Branch can't catch Speeding/noisy Motorcycles etc and Shabu dealers I can't see them catching these Fishermen (Who I might add, may be armed) As Dave said, lets wait and see. Yet again I hazard a guess at a total waste of Resources and Money. JP
