Dagupan City – A dolphin was buried today
(June 29, 2016) in a Fish Cemetery at Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
– National Integrated Fisheries Technology and Development Center
(BFAR-NIFDTC).
The dolphin weighing around 40 kilos and
measuring 1.78 meters long was trapped in a fisherman’s net along Tondaligan Beach. It was already
weak and eventually died around 10PM in the evening of Tuesday says Village Chief Rico Mejia.
BFAR-NFDTC experts claim the cause of death
might be from blast fishing as blood are oozing from the snout of the dolphin
indicating internal injuries.
Mejia called the attention of BFAR-NIFTDC and
retrieve the body of the dead dolphin sensing some residents are planning to
butcher it for its meat, which is against the law.
The practice of burying sea creatures in the
Fish Cemetery started since 1999 to instill respect to the environment and
other creatures.
This is the first case of dead dolphins for
this year said BFAR-NIFDTC Chief Westly Rosario.
Dolphins frequent the place
where it was found, which is near the river mouth because of its rich food
source.
