Starting Friday, November 15, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Western Visayas will implement a closed season in the Visayan Sea, prohibiting the fishing, buying, consuming, and selling of sardines, herrings, and mackerels until February 15, 2025. This measure is mandated by Fisheries Administrative Order No. 167-3 (2013), which aims to conserve these fish species by enforcing a seasonal and spatial fishing ban in the Visayan Sea. The Visayan Sea is bordered by several islands, including Masbate to the north, Leyte to the east, Cebu and Negros to the south, and Panay to the west.

Sornito, I. (2024, November 12). Fishing ban: Closed season in Visayan Sea begins Nov. 15. Panay News, pp. 1, 2.