- Davao Gulf’s 3-month fishing ban lifted
BAG NET and ring net fishing operations officially resumed for Davao Gulf beginning Sept. 1 as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources XI lifted the annual three-month closed season.
The fishing ban, which began June 1 and lasted until Aug. 31, 2026, allowed small pelagic fishes to mature and the marine life to thrive during their spawning period.
The directive prohibited the use of bag nets locally known as basnig or tapay-tapay, and ring nets, known as kubkuban or likom, regardless of vessel tonnage.
The ban also covered modified gear used for similar fishing operations.
Citing scientific studies, the agency said that June to August is the peak spawning period for small pelagic species in the Davao Gulf.
The gulf, which stretches from Cape San Agustin, Governor Generoso, in Davao Oriental, to Talagotong Point, Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental, serves as a vital spawning ground for various small pelagic species.
With the closed season lifted, duly licensed fishing vessels may now resume operations within their authorized fishing areas in the gulf, subject to existing fisheries laws and regulations.
“The lifting of the closed season marks the resumption of fishing operations, but our responsibility to protect the Davao Gulf continues. We urge all fishing vessel operators to comply with fisheries laws and practice responsible fishing. Through our collective efforts, we can sustain our fishery resources, protect the livelihoods of our fisherfolk, and help ensure food security for future generations,” BFAR XI regional director Relly B. Garcia said.
The annual closure was intended to protect small pelagic fish, including bigeye scad (locally called matambaka or matangbaka), mackerel (karabalyas or alumahan), and round scad more commonly known as galunggong.
Garcia called on fishing vessel operators to comply with fisheries laws and adopt responsible fishing practices to help sustain fishery resources, protect the livelihoods of fisherfolk, and support long-term food security.
During the three-month closure, government agencies extended assistance to affected fisherfolk and their families through a joint effort involving BFAR XI, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Labor and Employment, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and local government units.
BFAR XI reported no apprehensions for violations of the conservation measure during the period.
Meanwhile, BFAR XI’s Fisheries Management, Regulatory and Enforcement Division (FMRED) conducted a technical review of the closed-season policy, convening experts, researchers, government agency representatives, and stakeholders to assess its scientific basis and provisions.
FMRED chief Elaine Vera M. Belvis said the review drew on data from the M/V DA-BFAR oceanographic survey, stock assessments under the National Stock Assessment Program, fish-price and market trends, and other related research.
Belvis said the findings from the review would guide efforts to refine the policy going forward, to ensure it remains grounded in science while responding to both the ecological condition of the Davao Gulf and the socioeconomic needs of fishing communities.
As operations resume, BFAR XI reminded commercial fishing vessel operators to keep their licenses valid and comply with vessel-monitoring and catch-reporting requirements, among other regulations, and continue supporting responsible fishing practices to sustain the productivity of the Davao Gulf.
Photo: Fisheries Info Davao
