The government is scrambling to save the popular tawilis which was recently declared an endangered species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Ed Gongona said the BFAR was planning to enforce a three-month fishing ban starting March or April in Taal Lake, the only place where the species thrive in the wild. Gongona said his office had already proposed a three-month fishing ban on tawilis, also known as Sardinella tawilis, as early as 2013, but the Department of Environment and Natural Resources took no action.

Ocampo, K. R., & Chiu P. D. M. (2019, January 27). Saving 'tawilis': BFAR revives fishing ban bid. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.