Crew jailed in Philippines for illegal fishing

Twelve Chinese fishermen were given long prison terms yesterday for illegal fishing in the Philippines after their ship ran aground on a World Heritage-listed coral reef, a court official said.

The 12 were arrested at the Tubbataha Reef, a marine sanctuary in the western Philippines famed as a pristine dive spot, in April last year after their 48-metre boat hit and badly damaged it.

"The court imposed the maximum punishment of 12 years in prison for the boat captain," Hazel Alaska, clerk of the court that heard the case in the western city of Puerto Princesa, said. The written verdict identified the boat captain as Liu Chiangjie.

His 11 crew members were given prison terms of between six and 10 years after they were also found guilty of violating the anti-poaching provisions of a 2009 law that gave the Tubbataha Reef protected status, according to Alaska.

Regional trial court judge Ambrosio de Luna also fined the fishermen US$100,000 each, while their boat was forfeited, Alaska said.

They were the first foreigners to be found guilty of violating the law, according to Herminia Caabay, legal officer for a council that helps the western province of Palawan protect its natural resources.

The fishermen were still on trial for possession of protected species within the park, Alaska said, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.