Home⇛International Journal of Multidisciplinary: Applied Business and Education Research⇛vol. 7 no. 5 (2026)

Community Compliance with Fishing Ordinances in the Coastal Municipalities of Bohol Province

Justeofino M. Hinlayagan | Joel Pagkaliwangan | Ian Christian Filipino | Johnnyboy Itcay | Reynante Malvar | Grace Alincastre | Princess Beronica Esteban | Elizabeth Buena-Villa

Discipline: Politics

 

Abstract:

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing continues to threaten marine biodiversity, coastal food security, and local governance across the Philippine archipelago. While national laws such as Republic Act No. 10654 outline strict penalties for destructive fishing practices, localized enforce- ment challenges continue to be significant at the municipal level, where daily compliance and implementation are directly tested. Employing a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design, this study targeted various stakeholders across the 30 coastal municipalities of Bohol. Data were collected via a validated structured survey questionnaire adminis- tered to local chief executives; Municipal Environment and Natural Re- sources Office (MENRO) personnel; military/uniformed law enforcement officers (via convenience sampling); and community residents (via propor- tionate selection or complete enumeration). While institutional enhance- ments like the Police Environment Desk exist, actual ordinance compliance is heavily constrained by operational deficiencies-including inadequate patrol boats, insufficient fuel, limited manpower, and fragmented multi- agency communication-alongside economic pressures and awareness gaps among small-scale fisherfolk. Effective local fisheries management re- lies on an interdependent ecosystem of legal authority, enforcement capa- bility, and civic alignment. Simply enacting ordinances is insufficient to de- ter violations. To bridge these compliance and implementation gaps, the study proposes a responsive, multi-tiered action plan focused on strength- ening local seaborne patrol visibility, upgrading logistical support for first responders, solidifying inter-agency collaboration channels, and enhancing community-driven conservation education.



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