Illegal fishing, overfishing push Philippine fish stocks to historic lows: Oceana

The Star

22-07-2025

MANILA: The country's fisheries sector is in crisis, with illegal commercial fishing and chronic overfishing driving key fish stocks to historic lows, according to new data and analysis recently released by international ocean advocacy group Oceana.
The warning comes at a critical time: municipal fisheries production, once the backbone of the country's coastal food supply, has now dropped to its lowest level in over 20 years.
Staple species, including tamban (Bali sardinella), galunggong (round scad), tulingan (frigate tuna), and tambakol/bariles (yellowfin tuna), have all recorded steep declines, raising alarm over food security and the future of millions of Filipinos dependent on the sea for their livelihood.
'This production crisis spells trouble for national food security, as a growing population compounds the strain on already dwindling wild fish stocks. It is a red flag for every Filipino,' said Oceana Acting Vice President Atty. Rose-Liza Eisma-Osorio.
'Our fishing communities, already among the country's poorest, now face emptier seas and shrinking livelihoods due to rampant illegal commercial fishing. Unless we act decisively to safeguard municipal waters and uphold the law, our dream of food-fish sufficiency will remain out of reach,' Osorio added.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Oceana reported that municipal fisheries production fell to 802,770 metric tonnes in 2024, an 8.8 per cent decline from 879,960 MT the previous year—the lowest recorded output since 2002.
This translates to a loss of more than 77 million kilogrammes of fish in just one year. That's enough to serve every Filipino family more than a dozen fish meals each, gone from the nation's tables.
Overall, fisheries production also declined by 5 per cent last year, continuing a long-term downward trend that has become a 'red flag' for food security.
The drop has been especially severe among key fish species that feed millions of Filipinos every day.
The average catch per municipal fisher also slid from five kilograms per day in 2010 to just four kilogrammes in 2023, leaving many fishing families struggling to get by.
Oceana and its July 2025 newsletter highlight a worsening surge in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, particularly the encroachment of large commercial fishing vessels into the 15-km municipal waters that are supposed to be reserved exclusively for small-scale and subsistence fishers.
Data from Karagatan Patrol, a satellite-enabled monitoring system managed by Oceana and local governments, reveal a 9 per cent increase in detections of suspected commercial fishing intrusions into municipal waters, from 26,295 incidents in 2022 to 28,822 in 2023.
The trend only accelerated in 2024, with 31,843 detections—a 10.5 per cent jump from the previous year. The problem has continued to worsen in 2025, with early March alone seeing weekly detection spikes of almost 19 per cent.
Among the hardest-hit areas, based on Karagatan Patrol records, are Zamboanga City, Cuyo (Palawan), San Pascual (Masbate), Tongkil (Sulu), Languyan (Tawi-Tawi), Pagbilao (Quezon), and Carles (Iloilo). The same locations, Oceana said, that have consistently suffered from illegal commercial fishing activities.
Oceana warns that IUU fishing is 'widely recognized as a key driver behind ecosystem collapse, stock depletion, and worsening poverty among municipal fisherfolk, who suffer the brunt of increased competition and reduced catches.'
Efforts to address illegal fishing have met with significant obstacles. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has introduced Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 266, requiring commercial fishing vessels to use vessel monitoring technology—a key step to curb IUU fishing and ensure accountability.
However, Oceana pointed out that the nationwide implementation of vessel monitoring technology has faced significant setbacks, with legal disputes and compliance issues slowing progress.
The group also observed that many local enforcement agencies remain ill-equipped to effectively deter illegal fishing, underscoring the urgent need for both stronger enforcement and broad, systemic reforms across the sector.
'These reforms should include improving transparency in the fishing industry, enhancing local governance to ensure better management of marine resources, and fully protecting municipal waters,' Osorio said.
'Such changes are essential for the preservation and sustainability of marine ecosystems, ultimately safeguarding these vital resources for future generations,' she continued.
Experts and advocates warn that the ongoing collapse in the country's fisheries could intensify hunger, poverty, and inequality, especially in coastal communities that rely on municipal fishing as a primary food source and livelihood.
'Advocates and local officials are calling for a multi-pronged approach to address the crisis. This includes full implementation of vessel monitoring measures, stricter enforcement of existing laws, and protection of marine habitats within municipal waters,' Oceana stressed.
'BFAR has set an ambitious goal of achieving 100% food-fish sufficiency by 2028, but experts warn that this target will remain elusive without decisive action against IUU fishing,' it added.
Oceana called for immediate, science-based reforms to fisheries policy and enforcement, emphasizing the urgent need to protect the nation's remaining fish stocks and secure the welfare of the millions who depend on them.
'As the Philippines confronts this escalating challenge, the message from Karagatan Patrol and fisheries stakeholders is clear: safeguarding municipal waters is essential for environmental sustainability and the survival and prosperity of millions of Filipino families.' - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN