Product Type: Fisheries - sardines
Stage: Production & Harvesting
Problem: Fishing activity disrupting sardine spawning
Solution: Fishing bans during sardine spawning period

1. Studies indicate spawning season for sardines approximately spans the second week of December until the following march. The Philippines government enacted a law in 2011 prohibiting sardine harvesting between December 1st and March 1st of each year. The proposal was originally levied by SOPHIL. The ban has increased fish populations by preventing disruption of sardine spawning and catches have increased between 10-15% since 2011. As of July 2015, fishing operators have reported the largest harvest compared to the previous three years. Protecting juvenile fish from harvest requires regulation and enforcement of fishing net mesh sizes to allow juveniles to avoid capture.