The Iloilo Provincial Government has launched an initiative to strengthen the protection of marine wildlife and promote responsible fishing across its 19 coastal municipalities.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr.signed Executive Order No. 72 Series of 2026 which institutes the Marine Wildlife Conservation, Bycatch Monitoring, and Stranding Response Program in the province of Iloilo.
The executive order comes in response to the assessments by the United States National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), conducted pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) Import Provisions relative to the country’s fisheries sector.
The NMFS raised concerns on threats to marine mammals, such as the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin and fishing activities specifically blue swimming crab harvesting.
The NFMS identified gaps such as the lack of a marine mammal bycatch monitoring, absence of a reporting system for marine mammal injuries or deaths, and insufficient evidence-based conservation measures to prevent bycatch.
Bycatch refers to the incidental capture, injury, or deaths of marine wildlife during fishing activities.
While stranding refers to any event in which a marine wildlife species is found ashore, trapped, grounded, injured, distressed, sick, disoriented, dead, or otherwise unable to return to its natural habitat without assistance.
To address these issues, through his executive order, Defensor created the Marine Wildlife Conservation, Bycatch Monitoring, and Stranding Response Task Force to ensure the effective implementation of the program.
The task force will be headed by the governor as chairperson with the regional directors of BFAR and DENR, and Provincial Administrator Raul Banias as co-chairpersons.
The members include the mayors of the 19 coastal municipalities, representatives from concerned government agencies and provincial government offices, and from the academe, NGOs, and CSOs, among others.
A Scientific Advisory Panel composed of a team of experts will serve as the advisory body of the Task Force.
There will be a Marine Wildlife Reporting and Notification System for a coordinated reporting, verification, documentation of marine wildlife incidents within the province.
The Marine Wildlife Incident Command System will establish a clear protocol to ensure the timely and effective response to marine wildlife emergencies such as strandings.
A Marine Wildlife Information System will serve as a centralized repository of records, incidents, and scientific data.
To ensure compliance and accountability, the Provincial Legal Office will oversee the coordinated reporting of violations against environmental and fishery laws.
This program is anchored on Governor Defensor’s “MoRProGRes Iloilo” development thrust which is to protect and manage Iloilo's coastal ecosystems to secure a sustainable future for the Ilonggos.
Out of the 43 local government units in Iloilo, 19 are coastal municipalities that rely heavily on marine resources for food and livelihood.
Present today during the signing of the executive order are DENR VI OIC Regional Director Atty. Romar Niel V. Pascua, FMRED Chief Erwin Ilaya and NSAP Project Leader Sheryl Mesa from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources VI, Provincial Administrator Raul Banias, and personnel from the Provincial Agriculture’s Office.
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