Authorities seize P13.2-M illegal fish and gear in Western Visayas
Task force tightens watch ahead of Visayan Sea closed season.
BFAR-6 Chief Remia Aparri reports the third-quarter gains of the anti-illegal fishing task force during a meeting on 21 October.
BFAR 6
ILOILO CITY — Authorities confiscated an estimated P13.2 million worth of fish and fishing gear in Western Visayas following intensified sea and land operations led by the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (RIATF-IUUF) 6 in the Visayan Sea.
The task force reported the accomplishment during its 3rd Quarter Meeting on 21 October, as it ramps up enforcement ahead of the Visayan Sea Closed Season beginning 15 November.
Based on consolidated reports from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Western Visayas, Philippine Coast Guard, PNP Maritime Group, and Police Regional Office 6, authorities conducted 577 seaborne patrols from January to September 2025.
The operations resulted in the apprehension of 551 individuals, 218 fishing vessels, 32 filed cases, and P322,012 collected in administrative penalties.
On land, 432 enforcement activities led to the seizure of 4,039 kilograms of illegally caught fish valued at P383,590, while confiscated fishing paraphernalia and gear were pegged at P12.9 million.
BFAR Regional Director Remia Aparri, who chairs the task force, lauded the sustained collaboration among enforcement agencies to protect marine biodiversity and promote sustainable fisheries.
“Let us continue to build on our achievements as a region recognized for science-based management, strong enforcement coordination, and unwavering commitment to ecological and social justice,” Aparri said.
During the meeting, Maria Aimee Sobrevega, Officer-in-Charge of BFAR’s Fisheries Resource Management Section, outlined the implementation framework and ecological significance of the closed season under Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 167-3.
She underscored that the annual fishing ban from November 15 to February 15 safeguards the spawning grounds of sardines, herrings, and mackerel—key species sustaining both the ecosystem and the livelihoods of thousands of coastal families.
With the closed season fast approaching, the RIATF-IUUF is intensifying coordination among member agencies to ensure strict enforcement and compliance across Western Visayas’ fishing communities.
“Protecting the Visayan Sea means protecting the lifeblood of our coastal economy,” Aparri added.