MARINE LIFE UNDER SIEGE: Concepcion eyes ban on destructive ‘Sinsoro fishing’

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The local government of Concepcion is pushing to ban the continued operation of “Sinsoro fishing,” a method now considered destructive, amid mounting evidence of environmental degradation and violations of fishery laws.

Municipal Administrator Jimmy Celestial said the traditional method—also known as beach seine or taksay-taksay—has evolved into a highly mechanized and damaging fishing operation.

Originally, Sinsoro used net gear operated manually to encircle and haul in schools of fish near the shore, primarily targeting small pelagic species like anchovies (balingon).

Celestial said modern Sinsoro vessels are now equipped with purse lines, winches, fish finders, and fine-meshed mosquetero nets, shifting their focus to catching Lobo-lobo (fried or dried anchovies).

“Sinsoro operations switched to the exploitation of Lobo-lobo, resulting in the use of very fine mesh nets, causing a steady decline in anchovy catch—so much so that we hardly see anchovies at our fish port and markets,” he said.

He added that the method has not only depleted anchovy stocks but also damaged breeding and spawning grounds, particularly within marine protected areas (MPAs).

“It became a big issue in our island barangays, whose MPAs are being invaded and altered, leaving livelihoods severely affected,” he said.

Celestial said Sinsoro operations, classified as commercial fishing, lacked proper permits from both the local government and national agencies such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Maritime Industry Authority.

While tolerated for its traditional origins, Sinsoro fishing has come under scrutiny as environmental and legal violations escalated, prompting the LGU to seek BFAR’s intervention.

“The adverse effects of Sinsoro operations on the marine environment, especially the MPAs, have become too serious to ignore,” he said.

During a dialogue in July 2023, Sinsoro operators agreed to stop Lobo-lobo fishing by December 2024, allowing an 18-month moratorium to transition toward sustainable practices.

Despite this agreement, Celestial said operators continued their activities illegally, violating the moratorium.

He noted that public complaints increased even as BFAR extended training and seminars on sustainable fishing and association management.

“The problem has reached a point where decisive action must be taken to protect the interests of the many over the few,” he said.

Celestial said the LGU has exhausted all efforts to address the issue, and on July 15, 2025, Sinsoro operators were formally informed of the impending enforcement of local ordinances and national fishing laws.

He cited Republic Acts 8550 and 10654, which penalize destructive and unauthorized fishing practices.

He added that Sinsoro operations may only be allowed to continue if specific conditions are met.

These include switching to fishing gear specifically designed to catch anchovy—not Lobo-lobo—and reducing vessel size to a maximum of 3 gross tons to qualify under municipal fishing rules.

The gear must also be evaluated by BFAR to determine whether it can be classified as passive gear.

“Only when such conditions are met can Sinsoro fishing continue to exist,” Celestial said.