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4-month fishing ban in Visayan Sea starts


MANILA, Philippines — In a bid to preserve fish species, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has started imposing a four-month fishing ban in the Visayan Sea, an online news site reported Tuesday. Visayan Daily Star (www.visayandailystar.com) reported that the ban from Nov. 15 to March 15, 2009 covers sardines, herring and mackerel. BFAR Western Visayas director Drusila Bayate said the "closed season" has been implemented annually since 1989 under BFAR Administrative Order 167 to protect the Visayan Sea, one of the richest fishing grounds in the country. The Visayan Sea is a small sea surrounded by the islands of Masbate to the north, by Leyte on the east, Panay on the west, and Cebu and Negros on the south. Bayate noted the Visayan Sea is a rich fishing ground because of its generally shallow waters. Efforts to protect the Visayan Sea have been stepped up in recent years due to reports of the massive depletion of fish stock due to overfishing and pollution. Under the order, killing and catching of sardines, herring and mackerel are prohibited within the closed season. Selling, buying and having possession of the three fish species are also illegal. The ban covers mature fish or their larvae, fry or young. The area covered by the ban is more than half of the 10,000-square meter Visayan Sea, mostly in northern Negros and northern Iloilo and along municipal waters. Violators face a fine from P500 to P5,000 or imprisonment from six months to four years, or both. - GMANews.TV
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