Despite repeated crackdowns and arrests, illegal fishing remains rampant in the waters of northern Iloilo, exposing the limits of enforcement efforts and underscoring the continuing threat to the province’s marine resources and food security. In the first week of August, the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force apprehended two fishermen caught using dynamite off the coast of Carles, a town long known for its rich marine biodiversity. The arrests came just weeks after six other violators from the same barangay were nabbed for the same destructive practice.

Galigao, N. N. (2025, August 29). Persistent illegal fishing tests limits of Iloilo Province’s enforcement drive. Panay News, pp. 1, 2.