Sardines are overfished, scientist says

Studies conducted on the impact of the pressure of heavy fishing and environmental changes fish stock show that sardines are being overfished.

With this, scientists are calling on the government to create a framework to address the issue.

Existing data shows a decline in fish stocks due to heavy fishing pressure and environmental changes, said Dr. Wilfredo Campos, a scientist from the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, in a press statement.

"Sardines are being overfished and existing policy measures are not enough to protect them, especially spawning fish," he added.

According to the results of the studies, sardines are smaller and they spawn and mature early.

Campos said catching sardines would be more sustainable if they are allowed to mature for at least two years, so they can reproduce more.

"To keep up with being caught too quickly, they biologically adapt by maturing early to compensate for their population loss. They remain small, and spawn less compared to ideal, mature sardines," he said.

Sardine fisheries are a main economic driver in the Philippines as the industry produced 344,730,201 kilograms worth P7.43 billion in 2015.

The industry also provides food and livelihood for millions of Filipinos.

Sardines, however, are also crucial in the food chain as these are consumed by high-value fish such as tuna, mackerel and scad and larger predators like sharks and dolphins.

In addition, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) study showed that 71 percent of Filipino families eat seafood, especially sardines, at least five times per month. This means that seafood is a major source of protein.

The people has also observed that the fish they eat are getting smaller and more expensive.

In 2012, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ordered a closed season for sardines in major fishing grounds including the Visayan Sea and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

An adviser to the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) in the Philippines, Dr. Jose Ingles, said after the closed season there iss often a “race to fish” in which commercial fishers also end up catching juvenile fish that are expected to spawn.

“There should be other additional measures to protect the little fish that were produced during the spawning season. These include setting catch limits and reducing fishing efforts which will help protect the juvenile sardines, especially during the race to fish season,” Ingles said.

Jimely Flores, senior marine scientist of Oceana Philippines, said the management framework for sardines is a necessary guide in the implementation of policies based on science and research, including data from the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) of BFAR.

“We have called on BFAR to reconvene the Technical Working Group (TWG), and together with our scientists, craft the much-needed management framework for sardines,” Flores said. — BAP, GMA News