March and April are supposed to be a lean season for the “tawilis” (Sardinella tawilis) market, as catching the freshwater sardine is prohibited to allow it to spawn freely in its natural habitat in Taal Lake. But for environmentalists like Jord Earving Gadingan of the nongovernment Sa Ngalan ng Lawa (In the Name of the Lake), it is their best chance to reach out to both fishermen and consumers to preach the conservation of the tawilis. In 2018, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the tawilis an endangered species that triggered the two-month “closed season,” or fishing ban, on the fish endemic to Taal Lake in Batangas province.

Cinco, M. (2021, April 11). 'Tawilis Patrol,' scientists out to save prized Taal fish. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A10.