The Complete Sea-to-Shore Solution: How Estancia Can Bring Back Fish Using Ajuy's Nursery, Concepcion's Enforcement, and Ending Sinsoro in Jolog and Tanza
ESTANCIA TIMES | News & Documentary for Northern Iloilo
SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT - FACT-CHECKED
by Mark Morales | August 28, 2026 | Estancia, Iloilo
Estancia is politically subdivided into 25 barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks. The list includes Bayas (Bayas Island), Botongan, Gogo, Jolog, Loguingot (Loguingot Island), Manipulon, Tanza, Poblacion and 17 more.
It is a coastal town located at the northeast tip of Iloilo considered as the "Alaska" of the Philippines as it hosts the largest fish trading post.
Our sea is our market. Our shoreline is our wall. When super typhoon Yolanda hit, Estancia's coastal barangays were wiped out and during the same storm about 200,000 litres of bunker fuel spilled at the shoreline of Barangay Botongon, Estancia... contaminated about a kilometre stretch of Estancia's coastline.
Today fisherfolk in Jolog, Tanza, Loguingot, Manipulon, Bayas, Botongon and Gogo tell the same story: 4 months bantay for MPA, then one week at night, compressor, trawl and sinsoro come, ubos. Is conservation futile? No. But we have been doing it wrong.
1. WHAT ARE FISH AGGREGATES?
In Estancia we call them payao, jackstone, artificial reef. Science divides them into two:
Bottom aggregates - Jackstones: Official definition: any structure of natural or manmade materials placed on a body of water to serve as shelter and habitat, source of food, breeding areas for fishery species and shoreline protection.
In Antique, BFAR installed more or less 100 artificial jackstone-type reefs... installed an additional 200 units. Result: giant lapu-lapu and sea turtles returned because artificial reefs serve as the spawning or breeding, nursery and shelter ground for various marine life.
They work because they foster the availability of sessile organisms that are food sources and can also provide protection from predators.
In Pangasinan, 45 concrete artificial reefs deployed showed same effect.
Surface aggregates - Payao / FADs: These are floating materials anchored... designed to capitalize on natural aggregation... to seek protection from predation and increase feeding. Prey fish use them for shelter and predatory fish follow. BFAR says payao is sustainable because "Stationary siya so hindi siya nakakasira ng corals kasi naka-float lang... usually hindi ito sa mga coral reefs. So sustainable" and it helps save fuel because fishermen no longer have to sail around.
Critical warning from science: protective function will not by itself result in increased fish stocks. There is yet no evidence that placement alone results in increased fish production. Gathering fish is not creating fish. You must let them breed.
2. BEST PRACTICES OF AJUY - The Nursery and Shoreline Model
Iloilo Province now says: Iloilo prov'l gov't aims to replicate Ajuy marine practices.
What Ajuy did in Nasidman Island:
a) Protected cove nursery: SEAFDEC tested and found a protected cove in Ajuy, Iloilo gave good prospects for nursery rearing. They grow crablets and fish fingerlings in the cove before release.
b) CBCRM: Their model is documented as CBCRM experience of Nasidman Island in Ajuy, Iloilo - community manages, not just LGU.
c) Mangrove + MPA: Part of Community-Based Mangrove Rehabilitation. Mangrove = first nursery, MPA = second.
d) Gear restriction: The province listed Permits and gear restrictions for crab fishing in Ajuy, Iloilo (2023). Small bintol banned, 4-inch mesh required.
e) Shoreline rule: Mayor Jett Rojas: "Our shorelines, from the coastline to the inland areas, should remain clean, and cleanliness must be maintained. One of the criteria is the maintenance of a marine protected area".
f) Law: Ajuy and Concepcion both have inclusion as potential MPA sites in the Ecosystem Approach to Fishery Management Plans and in the Municipal Fisheries Ordinances.
Their initiatives include combating illegal fishing, adopting ecosystem-based approach, establishing marine protected areas, conducting coastal cleanups, and promoting mangrove propagation.
3. BEST PRACTICES OF CONCEPCION - The Enforcement Model
Concepcion is the model for enforcement that actually arrests.
a) Guard houses on water: Their DRR-CCA project includes Construction of Marine Protected Area guard houses... Sustainable fisheries use.
b) Task force that catches: Report says Most of the illegal fishing activities caught along the coast of Estancia, Carles and Concepcion towns use dynamite, cyanide, trawl, round haul, and hulbot-hulbot... All prohibited.
c) Real cases:
45 fishermen engaging in trawl fishing off Naburot Island and Manlangabang Island arrested for Section 86 of RA 8550 (Unauthorized Fishing) and Municipal Ordinance No.1 Series 2008 the rule that prohibits the use of trawl 15 kilometers
Under Municipal Ordinance Section 11.06, Series of 2022, illegal fishing practices such as compressor use are strictly prohibited
four fishermen engaging in dynamite fishing in vicinity of Bukot Island, Brgy. Taloto-an, Concepcion
d) Gear exchange: Nearby San Dionisio solved fine-mesh problem when Seven fishers operating sinsoro, a fine-mesh fishing gear, have surrendered their nets in exchange for bottom-set gill nets under "From Fine Mesh to Fair Catch: A Harvest Strategy for FMA 11 Supporting Sinsoro Operators with Sustainable Fishing Gear".
4. THE MISSING PIECE: SINSORO IN JOLOG AND TANZA
You are right - sinsoro/sensoro in Estancia is mostly locals from Jolog, Tanza, Loguingot, Manipulon, Bayas, not commercial boats from outside. That's why arrest alone fails.
What is sinsoro? Fine-mesh net with sinamay cloth bunt. Law: prohibits any person to fish... with use of fine mesh nets, defined as mesh size less than three centimeters. Banned since 1986: Philippines has outlawed the use of fine mesh nets since 1986.
Why banned? widespread use of fine-mesh nets locally known as "sinsoro" accelerates depletion... because these capture juvenile and immature fish. Result: Fine-mesh fishing nets face ban; Fish production in WV, 2 other regions drops 49%.
Why Jolog and Tanza use it?
Jolog is one of the Barangays of Estancia located along Estancia Bay, a fertile fishing ground with Population 592 as of 2020 census. It is a Yolanda resettlement site - many families have no farmland, sea is only job.
Tanza is located in the municipality of Estancia at approximately 11.4375, 123.1363 with population 1,413. Bayas is situated 4.5 km east of Tanza.
For them, sinsoro is cheap (P8k), sure catch of lobo-lobo/bonbon for fishmeal, cash buyer comes to shore. Gill net needs ice, bigger boat, trip to fish port.
BFAR-6 knows this. That's why BFAR-6 regional director Remia Aparri met with members of the Concepcion Sinsoro Owners and Operators Association (CONSOOA) to address continued operation of "sinsoro" fishing. They were formally informed of impending enforcement of local ordinances and national fishing laws... RA 8550 and 10654, but gave option: switching to fishing gear specifically designed to catch anchovy — not Lobo-lobo.
5. THE ESTANCIA 5-ZONE SEA-TO-SHORE MODEL - Complete
ZONE 1 - TANZA + BOTONGON-GOGO SHORELINES - The Wall
Where oil spill hit. No jackstones here - they damage seagrass. Instead: bamboo fences to trap sand + 2 hectares bakhaw mangrove replanting. This is Ajuy practice. Mangrove = crab nursery + shoreline protection + filters runoff before it hits sea.
ZONE 2 - JOLOG - The Community Fishing Ground
Jolog is along Estancia Bay fertile ground. PROPOSAL: 30 jackstones + seaweed lines + gill net training. Jolog fishers who surrender sinsoro become paid bantay. Guard house on Jolog pier watching bay.
ZONE 3 - LOGUINGOT ISLAND - The Kitong Bank
Loguingot Island is northwest of Bayas. Sandy bottom west of Loguingot with seagrass - perfect for rabbitfish, samaral. PROPOSAL: 45 concrete pyramids, 15-20m, permanent core 0.5ha NO-TAKE. This is spillover to fish port.
ZONE 4 - MANIPULON + BAYAS ISLETS - The Deep Mother Bank
Bayas Islets... Major islands: Bayas Island, Magosipal Islet, Manipulon Islet, Pangalan Islet... Municipality: Estancia. Bayas is the largest at 216 feet. Nearby islands include Manipulon Island to the west, Loguingot Island to the northwest.
PROPOSAL: 30 jackstones at 25m depth east of Manipulon - deep mothers compressor divers cannot reach. These become big mothers that produce 10x eggs. Plus 2 payao anchored 20km between Manipolon-Bayas to shift pressure offshore and redistribute fishing pressure.
ZONE 5 - SEA CORRIDOR - The Larvae Highway
Connects all zones. Larvae from Loguingot drift to Tanza seagrass, crablets from Tanza mangrove go to Jolog. No active gear during closed season. Marked with solar buoys "BFAR-Monitored - GPS Tracked".
6. HOW THIS STOPS THE 4 MONTHS + 1 WEEK RAID
FACT: One mother in 4 months releases 200k-1M eggs 4-6 times. Even if mother taken week 17, 4 batches already drifted to seagrass of Loguingot and Bayas and mangrove of Tanza. What is stolen is next batch.
SOLUTION copied from Concepcion:
Scatter, don't pile: 100 jackstones = 5 groups of 20, 200m apart between Loguingot-Manipolon-Bayas. Raider can hit 1 per night, not all.
Deep core at Manipolon - compressor limit.
Guard houses in Jolog and Loguingot - fishermen watch each other.
Provincial link: Direct hotline to Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat Task Force - the same team that arrested 45 in Concepcion.
GPS + photo evidence: Every jackstone GPS logged at MAO. Trawl snag = evidence for impound.
SOLUTION for sinsoro:
Register all sinsoro operators in Jolog (15), Tanza (12), Loguingot (8), Manipolon (5), Bayas (10) - make Estancia Sinsoro Association like CONSOOA.
60-day dialogue, not raid - like Concepcion.
Swap: Surrender sinsoro → receive 2 bottom-set gill nets (P12k value) under FMA 11 Fair Catch + 1-day training on setting near new jackstones where fish are bigger.
For those who want anchovy: give mid-water anchovy net, not bottom-scraping sinsoro.
Give them guard role: Jolog and Tanza become best bantay because they know who comes at 2am.
Budget: Jackstones FREE from BFAR (Antique got 100+200). Guard houses P40k each x2 = P80k from Province DRR-CCA. Gill nets from DA-BFAR grant. LGU cash <P100k.
If we only put jackstones in Loguingot-Manipolon-Bayas but allow sinsoro to keep vacuuming juveniles in Tanza and Jolog shoreline, yield will NOT increase. If we fix shoreline in Tanza, swap sinsoro in Jolog, and guard deep mothers in Manipolon-Bayas, yield will increase.
This is Ajuy + Concepcion + Estancia - sea and shorelines together.
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List of Resources :
1. ESTANCIA GEOGRAPHY - Barangays, Islands, Jolog, Tanza, Bayas
25 Barangays including Bayas, Jolog, Loguingot, Manipolon, Tanza:
Estancia, Iloilo - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estancia,_Iloilo
Barangays of Estancia list (Bayas, Botongan, Gogo, Jolog, Loguingot, Manipulon, Tanza): https://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Botongan,_Estancia,_Iloilo,_Philippines
Bayas Islets - 4 islands, Municipality Estancia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayas_Islets
Bayas Island location - east of Panay, Manipulon west, Loguingot northwest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayas_Island
Bayas is 4.5 km east of Tanza: https://mapcarta.com/39234730
Tanza location 11.4375, 123.1363, population 1,413: http://ijmra.in/v5i5/Doc/5.pdf
Tanza Map: https://MapCarta.com/15711712
Jolog is one of the Barangays of Estancia: https://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Jolog,_Estancia,_Iloilo,_Philippines
Jolog Profile PhilAtlas: https://www.philatlas.com/visayas/r06/iloilo/estancia/jolog.html
Jolog located along Estancia Bay, fertile fishing ground: https://www.panaynews.net/bridges-resettled/
Jolog resettlement Yolanda: https://www.panaynews.net/150-houses-for-yolanda-survivors-in-estancia/
Estancia coastal town, Alaska of Philippines, largest fish trading post: https://nccphilippines.org/2013/11/20/initial-damage-and-need-assessment-report/
2. SEA AND SHORELINES - Vulnerability
Major Oil Spill 200,000 litres at Botongon shoreline, contaminated 1km coastline: https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/major-oil-spill-estancia-iloilo-province-western-visayas
Yolanda wiped out coastal barangays: https://www.panaynews.net/150-houses-for-yolanda-survivors-in-estancia/
3. ARTIFICIAL REEFS / JACKSTONES
Giant Lapu-lapu found due to 100 jackstones + additional 200 units in Antique, serves as spawning/breeding/nursery/shelter: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/99153-giant-lapu-lapu-fish-antique/
Turtles abode Antique 100 + 200 jackstones: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/96256-turtle-antique-barangay/
Artificial Reef Project Impact Jackstone-type 1m design from BFAR: https://www.scribd.com/document/642781882/Effectiveness-and-Impact-of-Artificial-Reef-Project-in-Tigbauan-Iloilo-Philippines-A-case-study-1015054-2047698-pdf
Definition and limits: protective function will not by itself result in increased fish stocks, no evidence placement alone increases production - CORE.ac.uk: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/33722514.pdf
Concrete modules mimic natural reef, shelter, spawning, feeding: https://www.panaynews.net/aklan-launches-artificial-reef-project-to-revive-marine-ecosystem/
4. PAYAO / FADs - Fish Aggregating Devices
BFAR: Payaws do not damage corals, stationary, floating: https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/903046/bfar-payaws-do-not-damage-wps-corals-environment/story/?amp
Payao is semi-permanent bamboo rafts anchored: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_aggregating_device
Payao helps save fuel, sustainable: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1151821
5. AJUY BEST PRACTICES
Preliminary nursery runs protected cove in Ajuy gave good prospects: http://repository.seafdec.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.12066/120/AR2014.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
CBCRM experience of Nasidman Island in Ajuy: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/downloads/br86b487x?locale=fr
Permits and gear restrictions for crab fishing in Ajuy 2023: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/s3/2025-08/Philippines-final-2025-508.pdf
Iloilo prov'l gov't aims to replicate Ajuy marine practices, combating illegal fishing, MPAs, cleanups, mangrove: https://www.panaynews.net/iloilo-provl-govt-aims-to-replicate-ajuy-marine-practices/
Mayor Jett Rojas shorelines clean, maintenance of MPA criteria: https://www.panaynews.net/iloilo-provl-govt-aims-to-replicate-ajuy-marine-practices/
Inclusion as potential MPA sites in EAFM Plans and Municipal Ordinances of Concepcion and Ajuy: https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/documents/DAR24027/24745/24-027%20AR2%20-%20edited.pdf
6. CONCEPCION BEST PRACTICES - Enforcement
Construction of MPA guard houses, sustainable fisheries use: https://www.rappler.com/environment/117879-loss-damages-interventions-iloilo-town-seas/
Illegal fishing activities caught along Estancia, Carles, Concepcion use dynamite, cyanide, trawl, hulbot-hulbot prohibited: https://www.rappler.com/environment/disasters/145137-iloilo-fishermen-lead-coastal-management/
Concepcion man nabbed for illegal fishing compressor Sec 11.06 Series 2022: https://www.panaynews.net/concepcion-man-nabbed-for-illegal-fishing/
45 trawl fishers off Naburot and Manlangabang, Sec 86 RA 8550, Ordinance No.1 Series 2008 prohibits trawl 15km: http://ani.seafdec.org.ph/handle/20.500.12174/2866
Illegal fishers arrested Concepcion Carles active gears Sec 95 RA 10654: https://ani.seafdec.org.ph/handle/20.500.12174/3734
4 nabbed dynamite fishing Bukot Island Taloto-an: https://iloilo.gov.ph/index.php/en/node/6347
10 fishermen caught dynamite fishing Baliguian: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/10-fishermen-caught-dynamite-fishing-in-iloilo/
7. SINSORO / FINE-MESH NETS
FAO 188 s.1993 prohibits fine mesh <3cm: https://www.bfar.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/FAO-No.-188-s.-1993.pdf
Philippines outlawed fine mesh since 1986: https://www.rappler.com/environment/list-sustainable-harmful-fishing-practices-philippines/
San Dionisio fishers swap fine-mesh sinsoro for bottom-set gill nets, From Fine Mesh to Fair Catch FMA 11: https://www.dailyguardian.com.ph/blog/san-dionisio-fishers-swap-fine-mesh-nets-for-legal-gear
BFAR-6 moves to enforce ban, meets Concepcion Sinsoro Owners Association CONSOOA: https://www.panaynews.net/bfar-6-moves-to-enforce-ban-on-fine-mesh-nets-warns-of-worsening-fish-stock-decline/
Marine Life Under Siege Concepcion eyes ban on destructive Sinsoro, RA 8550 10654, switch to anchovy not lobo-lobo: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/marine-life-under-siege-concepcion-eyes-ban-on-destructive-sinsoro-fishing/
Fine-mesh nets face ban, fish production in WV drops 49%: https://www.panaynews.net/fine-mesh-fishing-nets-face-ban-fish-production-in-wv-2-other-regions-drops-49/