By Bernadette H. Carreon
Horizon news staff

Four fishermen earlier charged with spearfishing using scuba tanks were convicted.
On March 14, following a two-day trial, Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong found Petrus Sechalboi guilty of four counts of aiding and abetting fishing with scuba, two counts of closed season grouper violations and one count of aiding and abetting obstruction of justice.
Sechalboi sentencing is scheduled on May 2.
Earlier in 2006, defendant Henry Yuri pled guilty to two grouper violations and has testified against Sechalboi.
Tony Borja also pled guilty and was sentenced last March 9.
Borja was sentenced to six years imprisonment all suspended except for the first eight months.
The judgment and sentence stated that Borja, during the first eight- month period of imprisonment shall serve the initial 10 days at the Koror Jail beginning March 16.
The judgment said that after 10 days the defendant is eligible for work release during daytime hours on weekdays for actual working hours with his current job with the Koror State government and his work release will not involve fishing, scuba diving or being present on a boat.
Co-defendant Esebei Remengesau took a plea deal and was sentenced on March 13, 2007, right before the start of the trial.
Remengesau was sentenced to five years imprisonment all suspended except for the first eight months.
Remengesau will serve the first initial 10 days in jail and he will be eligible for work release during daytime hours on weekdays for actual working hours.
His work release should also not involve fishing activities.
Division of Fish and Wildlife Chief Kammen Chin said, "Fishing with scuba tanks is a serious offense. Fish and Wildlife would like to thank the community for reporting on Borja's and Remengesau's illegal behavior; we are only 15 officers, and it is hard to patrol the entire coastal waters, so community tips and information are very important to enforcement."
Chin added, "we are happy with today's verdict." We would also like to thank the Attorney General's Office and Assistant Attorney General Christopher Hale for the way they handled the case, as well as thank our BPS Director for his support." "The Koror State Rangers were an essential part of the prosecution of Tony Borja. They are thanked."
Hale for his part said "I was pleased with today's guilty verdict." Fishing crimes are serious crimes. Palau's natural resources are finite."
He further stated, "spearfishing with scuba tanks provides an unfair and unsportsmanlike advantage to the fisherman." The practice of fishing with scuba tanks is ecologically harmful." As to what DFWP Chief Chin said, yes, the public is encouraged to report fishing crimes, with details and photographs, if possible."
Earlier a total of 192 counts of criminal complaints were filed against the four fishermen for allegedly spearfishing using scuba tanks.