CEBU City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, citing concerns over the overexploitation of marine resources, has established the Cebu City Protected Reef located beside the South Road Properties (SRP) along the Mactan Channel. This initiative aims to conserve marine life, restore fish populations and safeguard biodiversity in the area.
The establishment of the protected reef was formalized through Executive Order (EO) 15, series of 2025. This measure follows years of collaborative conservation efforts by the Bantay Dagat Commission, Cebu Technological University and Knights-Stewards of the Sea Inc., as part of the Cebu City Reef Rehabilitation Initiative.
A reef is a natural underwater ecosystem composed of coral, rock, or marine organisms that provide essential habitat for diverse marine life. The Cebu City Reef is notable as the only reef in Cebu City confirmed by marine biologists, despite decades of environmental pressures from human activities such as pollution, landfill leachate and coastal development.
The Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) and the Bantay Dagat Commission have been assigned to administer and oversee the protected reef.
The Bantay Dagat commission’s responsibilities include enforcing Republic Act 8550 (the Philippine Fisheries Code), regularly monitoring the area to prevent unauthorized entry and developing programs focused on the development, protection and conservation of the reef’s resources. They also have the authority to endorse apprehended violators to the City Legal Office for appropriate legal action.
EO 15 outlines several prohibitions within the protected reef area:
Engaging in any fishing activity without registered papers or valid licenses from the City Government is strictly prohibited.
Exploiting, occupying, producing, breeding, or culturing any fishery species, or constructing fish corals, traps, pens, cages, or fishponds without a valid license, lease, or permit is unlawful.
Unreported fishing within the protected reef is not allowed.
Penalties for violations of EO 15 are as follows:
Individuals face fines of P1,000 for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P3,000 plus license revocation and imprisonment for the third offense.
Unauthorized fishing involving commercial fishing vessels carries heavier fines: P50,000 to P100,000 for small-scale commercial fishing; P150,000 to P500,000 for medium-scale; and P1,000,000 to P5,000,000 for large-scale commercial fishing. An administrative fine equivalent to five times the value of the catch will also be imposed.
Catch and fishing gear used in unauthorized fishing activities within the protected reef will be confiscated.
The creation of this protected reef is part of broader efforts in Cebu to strengthen marine resource protection, including collaborations among local government units such as the Southeast Cebu Coastal Resource Management Council, which promotes sustainable coastal resource management and marine protected area governance. The reef’s protection is critical given the ongoing threats from human activities and the reef’s ecological importance as a habitat supporting various fish and macroinvertebrate species, as documented by marine biologists.
EO 15 establishes the Cebu City Protected Reef as a vital marine conservation area with strict regulations and enforcement mechanisms to ensure the sustainability of Cebu City’s marine biodiversity and fisheries resources amidst increasing environmental pressures. / JPS