Anything Under the Sun
Seas around West Visayas (2)
The Visayan Sea once made Estancia, Iloilo, the "Alaska of the Philippines".
Because so much fish caught, a government canning factory was established before the war at Barrio Botongan, just a few kilometers from the town port.
The factory product was labelled "National" and was famous in the entire country. Under the charge of Heracleo Montalban -- a fishery officer, the factory canned salmon (guma-a when dried), sardines (tabagak when dried) and squid (lokus). During the war, the plant was destroyed and was never reopened.
The vast extent of Visayan Sea is from the mouth of Danao River in Escalante (north Negros Occidental) north to the tip of Bantayan island and Madridejos (both of Cebu), then eastward to the lighthouse of Gigantes islands (Iloilo), then westward to Oloyan island, coasts of Culasi and Pilar (all of Capiz), then eastward to the coasts of Carles, Balasan, Estancia, Conception (all of Iloilo), then to southeastward to mouth of Talisay river (Negros Occidental), then southwestward to Guimaras, then northward to Tomonton point in Negros Occidental and lastly north eastward back to mouth of Danao River.
Because of the great depletion of the fish catch in this fishing ground, Fisheries Administrative Order No. 167 was issued prohibiting the killing or catching of sardines, herrings and mackerels including their larvae and fry during the closed season from November 15 up to March 15.