An organization of small-time fishermen in Negros Occidental urged the government to strengthen operations against commercial fishing in municipal waters. Commercial fishing has been a major problem for most fishers in the province, according to Abcede Jardinico, acting chairman of the Negros Occidental Small Fishers Association (NOSFA). Section 18 of Republic Act 8550, or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, states that "all fishery-related activities in municipal waters, as defined in this Code, shall be utilized by municipal fisherfolk and their cooperatives or organizations which are listed as such in the registry of municipal fisherfolk.

'Step up drive against commercial fishing'. (2015, September 29). Panay News, p. 22.