BFAR lifts sardine fishing ban in South

MANILA, Philippines - The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) yesterday lifted the sardine fishing ban in the East Sulu Sea, Basilan Strait and Sibuguey Bay after a three-month implementation.

The ban was enforced from Dec. 1, 2012 to Feb. 28.

This is the second sardine fishing ban implemented by BFAR in the Zamboanga peninsula to encourage growth in the sardine population.

In 2012, BFAR said the sardine production in the Zamboanga region grew from 146,835.66 metric tons to 156,153.51 MT as a result of the imposition of the ban from December 2011 to February 2012.

BFAR also imposed a fishing ban in the Visayan Sea from Nov. 15, 2012 to Feb. 14 to increase the population of sardines and herring.