Tuna Wars and Apo Island Turtles, this June on 'Born to be Wild'

BORN TO BE WILD’s latest series kicks off this Wednesday, June 6

“Tuna Wars” and “Apo Island Turtles”

with Doc Nielsen Donato and guest host Mariz Umali

 

Can you live on board a sea vessel for five days and five nights to fish for tuna? This June, join Doc Nielsen Donato as he sets out on a tuna fishing vessel that will spend nearly a week in high seas. Doc Nielsen experiences the extreme living conditions on board a tuna fishing boat and will endure what fishermen endure for their prized catch.

 

The two year tuna fishing ban on the Western Pacific high seas has been lifted. The lifting of the ban is expected to revive business in General Santos’ fish port. But some experts fear that the lifting of the ban may be premature; they say the tuna population has not yet fully recovered. The tuna fishers themselves agree. From Davao Gulf to the Mindanao Sea, Doc Nielsen and the team search for tuna and discover that Filipino fishermen dare to illegally enter the Indonesian Sea even with the risk of being caught and jailed by foreign authorities.

 

Last year, a Filipino fisherman from General Santos City was reportedly shot and killed by foreign authorities when the Filipino fishing vessel strayed into foreign waters. And early this year, a squabble by rival fishing groups ended in the killing of fishermen from Zamboanga City. But amidst the dangers, Filipino fishermen still brave the high seas, beyond Philippine territories, leaving their fate to the waves in order to feed their families.

 

Reporter and diver Mariz Umali is on a very special assignment. She travels to Apo Island in Dumaguete to find out why the place is said to be a haven for endangered marine sea turtles or pawikan. The assignment turns into an unforgettable experience as she witnesses a sea turtle laying at least a hundred eggs right in front of their lodging place. With the help of an expert in turtle conservation, Mariz and the Born team begin a project to bring these turtle eggs to safety.

 

The all-new series of Born to be Wild begins this Wednesday, June 6, after Saksi!