ILOILO CITY — Authorities arrested 15 alleged illegal fishers and seized more than P1.2 million worth of fishing equipment and fish in a sweeping 24-hour enforcement operation across Western Visayas, highlighting renewed efforts to protect the region’s increasingly pressured marine resources.
According to the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) Regional Operational Accomplishment Dashboard, police units carried out 13 anti-illegal fishing operations between 6 a.m. on September 6 and 5:59 a.m. on September 7.
The operations resulted in the confiscation of fishing gear and catch with a combined estimated value of P1,207,050, while 15 suspects were taken into custody.
Iloilo accounts for the biggest haul
Iloilo province recorded the largest value of confiscated items, with authorities seizing approximately P887,000 during four separate operations.
Six individuals were arrested in those operations, according to PRO-6 data cited by Panay News.
Antique followed with seven operations, resulting in seven arrests and the recovery of approximately P236,750 worth of fishing equipment and fish.
In Aklan, police conducted two operations, arresting two people and confiscating an estimated P83,300 worth of illegal fishing gear and catch.
The numbers reveal the scale of the enforcement effort: Iloilo, Antique and Aklan alone accounted for the entire reported P1.207-million haul.
Why illegal fishing remains a serious problem
The latest arrests come as authorities and fisheries officials continue confronting fishing practices that can damage marine ecosystems and threaten the livelihoods of legitimate fisherfolk.
Philippine fisheries regulations restrict destructive and prohibited fishing methods, while rules on fine-mesh nets are intended to prevent the indiscriminate capture of juvenile fish and protect fish stocks for future generations.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has previously emphasized restrictions on fine-mesh fishing gear under Fisheries Administrative Order No. 188, which regulates the use of fine-mesh nets.
The issue is particularly important in Western Visayas, where coastal communities depend heavily on fishing for food and income.
Enforcement is only one part of the battle
The latest crackdown also illustrates a larger challenge for authorities: arrests can remove illegal operators from the water, but rebuilding depleted fisheries requires sustained enforcement, community cooperation and sustainable fishing practices.
Previous enforcement efforts in Iloilo have targeted activities involving prohibited or destructive fishing methods, while fisheries authorities have also pursued programs encouraging fishermen using illegal gear to transition toward more sustainable alternatives.
That approach can be crucial in communities where fishing is the primary source of income.
PRO-6 asks residents to help
Police Regional Office 6 director Police Brigadier General Randulf T. Tuaño stressed that the region’s marine resources are not simply environmental assets but also a source of livelihood for coastal families.
PRO-6 called on residents in coastal communities to report suspected illegal fishing activities to the nearest police station or through the Unified 911 hotline.
The appeal effectively turns coastal residents into another layer of protection for the region’s waters.
The bigger concern goes beyond the P1.2-million seizure
The confiscated gear has a measurable peso value, but the potential environmental impact of illegal fishing is harder to calculate.
When prohibited methods remove fish faster than populations can recover, the consequences can extend beyond a single operation — affecting fish stocks, food security and the income of communities that depend on legal fishing.
That is why the latest Western Visayas operation is more than a tally of arrests and confiscated equipment.
It is another warning that authorities are stepping up the fight over who gets to use the region’s waters — and how those waters will be protected for the next generation of Filipino fisherfolk.
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