Visayan Sea Three-Month Fishing Ban Lifted On February

VISAYAN SEA – The fishing ban over the Visayan Sea which lasts months from November 2019 to February 2020 has been lifted on February 16.

According to Panay News, the ban over the sea, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 6, included herrings, mackerels and sardines.

Now that the ban was lifted, fishermen can now catch them again. BFAR-6 director Remia Aparri said, however, urged fishermen to catch them legally.

Appari clarified that dynamites, fine mesh nets or active fishing gears that destroy the seabed are among those that should not be used.

The ban in the sea is observed annually in order to allow reproduction of fishes such as herrings, mackerels and sardines/ It aims to make fishing in the sea sustainable.

The Visayan Sea is one of the nation’s largest fishing grounds. It is surrounded by islands of Panay to the west, Negros and Cebu to the south, Masbate to the north, and Leyte to the east.

Included in the annual ban are the following areas:

northern seaboard of Iloilo province
- Barotac Nuevo
- Anilao
- Banate
- Barotac Viejo
- Ajuy
- Concepcion
- San Dionisio
- Batad
- Estancia
- Balasan
- Carles
Capiz province
- Roxas City
- Pilar
- Pontevedra
- President Roxas
- Panay
northern Negros Occidental
- EB Magalona
- Victorias City
- Manapla
- Sagay City
- Cadiz City
- Escalante City