World · Philippines Bureau
Philippines imposes three-month sardine fishing moratorium in Mindanao
Commercial and municipal sardine fishing will halt across 11 coastal communities in northeastern Mindanao beginning December, as marine scientists report fish stocks have reached critically low levels. The temporary ban aims to allow local populations to recover.
LSN Philippines ·
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Authorities have announced a three-month fishing moratorium on sardines across 11 coastal towns and cities in northeastern Mindanao, effective from December 1 through February 29 next year. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources imposed the annual halt following warnings from marine scientists that local sardine populations have declined to unsustainable levels.
Both commercial and municipal fishing operations will be suspended during the closure period. The measure is designed to allow sardine stocks to recover and rebuild their populations in the region's waters.
The moratorium affects multiple fishing communities that have traditionally relied on sardine harvesting. Authorities have indicated the three-month restriction is part of a regularly scheduled conservation effort aimed at maintaining the long-term viability of the fishery.
Fisheries officials have not disclosed specific population figures or the scientific methodology used to determine the critical threshold, though the decision represents a coordinated response to documented concerns about declining marine resources in the region.