Zamboanga, Visayas closed fishing season ends

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) announced the lifting of the annual three-month closed fishing season for sardines and other small pelagic species in key breeding grounds, allowing commercial fishing operation to resume starting Feb. 16.

In an advisory on Monday, the BFAR said the ban has ended in the Visayan Sea and waters off the Zamboanga Peninsula, covering the East Sulu Sea, Basilan Strait, and Sibuguey Bay.

The seasonal closure, implemented from Nov. 15 to Feb. 15, covered sardines in Zamboanga waters and sardines, herring, and mackerel in the Visayan Sea.

The ban restricted the use of commercial fishing methods, such as purse seines, ring nets, bag nets, and scoop nets, in the designated conservation zones.

According to the BFAR, the restrictions are imposed annually to protect economically important fish species during their spawning period and to support the long-term sustainability of fish stocks.

The BFAR has said that similar seasonal closures in past years contributed to improved sardine catches and helped sustain the fishing industry in affected regions. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel