THE three-month closed fishing season at the Visayan Sea starts on November 15.
Remia Aparri, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Western Visayas, said Wednesday, November 14 that a kick-off ceremony will be held in Capiz in the morning of November 15.
Aparri said there is a need to further increase the awareness on the fishing ban especially among the people in Capiz, which was newly-involved in the Fish Right Program of the agency in partnership with the United States Agency for Internal Development (USAID).
The three-month closed fishing season until February 15 of 2019 is the agency’s annual measure to allow the spawning of sardines, herrings, and mackerels in the Visayan Sea.
This is mandated by the Fisheries Administrative Order 167-3. It prohibits the catching, killing, selling or possession of sexually-mature sardines, herrings and mackerels or their larvae, fry or young known locally as “lupoy,” “silinyasi,” linatsay” or “manansi” in the portion of the Visayan Sea and adjoining waters enclosed by line drawn through following points and coastlines.
Aparri earlier said that the regional line agency, through the closed fishing season, targets to increase the fish production at the Visayan Sea by at least 20 percent.
For Western Visayas alone, she said the annual production is pegged at almost 400,000 metric tons.
The Visayan Sea stretches from the mouth of Danac River on the northeastern tip of the Bantayan Island to Madridejos, to the lighthouse in Gigantes Island, to Clutaya Island, to Culasi Point in Capiz province, 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 Occidental Negros, eastward along the northern Coast of the Island of Negros, and back to the mouth of Danao River in Escalante, Negros Occidental.
In 2017, BFAR-Western Visayas noted a minimal number of violators.
It was attributed to a higher level awareness among fisherfolk resulted from intensified seaborne patrol activities as well as information and education campaigns.
The agency believes that, unlike before, people are now more aware of the seriousness of the government in implementing the order.
"We will further intensify the implementation of the fishing ban this year," Aparri said.
A P6, 000 fine, imprisonment of six months to six years depending on the gravity of the offense, and forfeiture of the catch and cancellation of fishing permits or license await violators.
“The Visayan Sea is the center of marine biodiversity in the coral triangle,” she said, adding that the fish ban contributes to the protection and conservation of the country’s marine resources.