The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has tightened regulations on the blue swimming crab, locally known as “alimasag,” to secure export markets and safeguard marine biodiversity. BFAR issued Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 277, which outlined measures for the blue swimming crab, including a 500-meter cap on the aggregate length of gillnets used during fishing operations. This, as seafood exporters face increasingly stringent sustainability requirements from overseas buyers, particularly the US.

Pelonia, A. (2026, July 22). BFAR sets tightened regulation for ‘alimasag’ fishing. BusinessMirror, p. A5.