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[av_heading heading=’3-MONTH FISHING BAN
‘Closed season’ in Visayan Sea starts Nov. 15′ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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ILOILO City – The yearly three-month closed fishing season in the Visayan Sea, one of the country’s major fishing grounds suffering from overfishing, starts this Nov. 15.
Sardines, herrings and mackerels make up one-third of the fish production of the Visayan Sea. Catching, buying and/or selling them – or their larvae, fry or young – are prohibited until Feb. 15, 2018.
The ban will give fishes time to spawn or breed freely and replenish their depleting population, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 6.
“Importante ini bangud ang sardines or tabagak is one of the major commodities in Region 6. It supports aton nga local market ang fresh kag dried nga tabagak,” said Regional Director Remia Aparri of BFAR.
BFAR is the government agency responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of fisheries and aquatic resources.
Aparri urged local government units to help enforce the fishing ban until the second month of 2018 when sardines, mackerels and herrings would have restocked their population.
The Visayan Sea boasts of 546 fish species but the November to February period is the peak of the spawning of sardines, herrings and mackerels.
The closed season on the Visayan Sea covers an area drawn through certain points and coastlines. These coastlines include from the mouth of the Danao River on the northeastern tip of Bantayan Island to Madridejos (Cebu) through the lighthouse on Gigantes Island (Iloilo), to Olotayan Island and Culasi Point (Capiz); eastward along the northern coast of Capiz to Bulacaue Point in Carles (Iloilo); southward along the eastern coast of Iloilo to the mouth of Talisay River; westward across the Guimaras Strait to Tomonton Point in Negros Occidental; eastward along the northern coast of Negros Island and back to the mouth of Danao River in Escalante, Negros Occidental.
The ban will prevent spawning fishes from being taken out of the sea, thus helping increase the number of baby fishes actually making it from hatchling to juveniles, and therefore increasing their survival to adulthood.
Offenders will be charged accordingly under Fisheries Administrative Order No. 167-3 that mandates the annual ban, an ecosystem approach to fisheries resource management being advocated by BFAR.
The punishments are imprisonment of six months and one day to six years, a fine of P6,000 or by forfeiture of the catch, and cancellation of fishing permit or license.
The ban is one several measures to ensure that Visayas’ fish supply is not depleted. The Iloilo provincial government is stepping up its campaign against illegal fishing most especially in the northern part of the province whose waters are shared by the Visayan sea. It is giving patrol boats to seven coastal towns
Provincial Administrator Raul Banias said the local governments of Barotac Viejo, Dumangas, Ajuy, and Carles would each receive one patrol boat this month.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. has been urging concerned agencies to do their share in protecting Iloilo’s waters such as BFAR, Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police’s Maritime Group.
“We can’t apprehend illegal fishers if they’re already outside our territorial waters. The BFAR and Maritime Group can help in this regard,” explained Defensor.
According to Defensor, most of the illegal fishers that Bantay Dagat apprehended were from neighboring provinces like Masbate, Cebu, Negros Occidental, and Capiz.
“Many fishermen, even from other provinces, are attracted to our rich fishing grounds. Sadly, some use illegal fishing methods such as destructive trawls or setting off dynamites,” said Defensor. (With a report from PIA/PN)
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