Dynamite Fishing Ruins Filipino Reefs

In March 2025, a single morning of illegal fishing in Cebu City undid years of painstaking reef rehabilitation, leaving craters on the seafloor and a community questioning how much progress can survive a few minutes of explosives. The incident, which involved homemade bombs dropped from four boats, is a stark reminder that dynamite fishing — also known as blast fishing — remains one of the most destructive threats to Philippine coral reefs despite decades of regulation. For the fisherfolk who depend on these reefs for their daily catch, the damage is not just ecological; it directly affects their ability to put food on the table.

The Philippines sits at the heart of the Coral Triangle, a region that hosts over 600 species of coral and more than 2,000 species of reef fish. This biodiversity is not just a point of national pride — it supports the livelihoods of millions of coastal Filipinos. When a blast fishing event occurs, it does not simply kill fish; it obliterates the physical structure of the reef itself, turning complex habitats into rubble. The Cebu City incident, discovered by a team of divers from Bantay Dagat and Cebu Technological University who were retrieving sediment traps for a marine study, shows how even well-monitored areas remain vulnerable. The perpetrators used a compressor and hose to collect fish that sank, a technique that suggests this was not a desperate act but a calculated operation. For a deeper look at how pollution compounds these challenges, you can read about how pollution kills Filipino mangroves, another critical coastal habitat under threat.

What Blast Fishing Does to a Reef — and Why It Keeps Happening

Blast fishing, also called fish bombing or reef bombing, involves using homemade explosives — often referred to locally as binayo — to stun or kill fish. The method is brutally efficient in the short term but devastating in the long run. Unlike hook-and-line fishing, which allows for selective catch, an explosion kills or injures every animal in the vicinity, from plankton to dolphins. The coral reef itself, which took centuries to grow, is reduced to fragments. This is not a sustainable fishing method by any measure; it is a mining operation disguised as fishing.

Why does it keep happening? The answer lies in a combination of poverty, weak deterrence, and the sheer difficulty of patrolling the Philippines’ vast coastline. Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commissioner Ed Karlon Rama noted that the perpetrators in the March 2025 incident were non-Cebu City residents, suggesting that illegal fishers travel to exploit less-guarded areas. The Bantay Dagat program, which relies on two private boats for patrols, has limited capacity to intercept fast-moving operations. A new patrol boat funded by the city’s P14.6 billion 2025 budget is expected to improve coverage, but the gap between enforcement resources and the scale of illegal fishing remains wide. For context on how other environmental threats compound these issues, see the discussion on tackling pollution and waste management issues in the Philippines.

The Real Cost: What Gets Destroyed Beyond the Fish

The immediate visual of a blast fishing incident — floating dead fish, a plume of sediment — is shocking enough. But the damage runs deeper than what the eye can see. Coral reefs are not just rocks; they are living communities that provide nursery grounds for juvenile fish, protection for coastlines against storm surges, and a source of income for tourism and fisheries. When a reef is bombed, the physical structure collapses. The rubble that remains does not support the same diversity of life. Recovery, if it happens at all, can take decades.

There is also a human cost that often goes unmentioned. The fisherfolk who depend on a healthy reef for their livelihood are the ones who suffer most when it is destroyed. Commissioner Rama put it plainly: the blast fishing incident “steals from the city’s fisherfolk.” When a reef is bombed, the fish that survive often flee to deeper or less disturbed areas, leaving local fishers with smaller catches for weeks or months. This pushes some toward illegal methods themselves, creating a cycle that is hard to break. The Cebu City Bantay Dagat program conducted 65 seaborne patrols and 44 coastline inspections between July and December 2024, but the sheer number of patrols needed to cover all vulnerable areas is beyond current capacity. The new patrol boat, funded with P1 million from the city budget, is a step forward, but it is one boat against a coastline that stretches for hundreds of kilometers.

Another layer of complexity is the use of cyanide fishing, a related but distinct method. While blast fishing uses explosives, cyanide fishing involves pouring a sodium cyanide solution into the water to stun fish, making them easier to capture alive for the aquarium trade or live fish restaurants. According to WildAid, cyanide that remains in the water poisons the habitat, affecting countless other species. Both methods share a common thread: they prioritize short-term gain over long-term sustainability, and they are notoriously difficult to police. The Philippine National Police Maritime Group, with support from organizations like WildAid, has begun using scuba gear to collect underwater evidence, a development that could strengthen prosecutions. But building a case requires catching perpetrators in the act, which remains rare.

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The Enforcement Gap That Allows Blast Fishing to Continue

One of the most frustrating aspects of the blast fishing problem is that the laws are already in place. Republic Act 10654, the Philippine Fisheries Code, bans destructive fishing methods including the use of explosives and cyanide. Penalties include imprisonment and fines. Yet enforcement remains the weak link. The Cebu City Bantay Dagat program, for example, had to rely on two private boats for patrols until the new budget allocation. Between July and December 2024, they conducted 65 seaborne patrols — roughly one every three days — across a city coastline that includes multiple barangays and offshore reefs. That is not enough to deter organized illegal fishing operations that can coordinate four boats and time their activities to avoid detection.

There is also the challenge of evidence collection. Even when authorities arrive at a blast fishing site, proving who did it requires catching the perpetrators in the act or collecting forensic evidence underwater. The new scuba gear provided by WildAid to the Philippine National Police Maritime Group in Palawan is a promising development, but it is limited to specific regions. In the Cebu City incident, the perpetrators “sped away” when the Bantay Dagat team arrived, leaving behind only craters and dead fish. Without the ability to pursue and apprehend, the deterrent effect of patrols is diminished. For a broader perspective on how grassroots efforts are tackling environmental crimes, see the piece on grassroots movements fighting pollution in the Philippines.

Why Rehabilitation Efforts Are So Vulnerable

The Cebu City reef that was bombed in March 2025 was not a pristine, untouched ecosystem. It was a reef under active rehabilitation, meaning that volunteers, marine biologists, and local government units had been working since late 2020 to restore coral cover and fish populations. This makes the incident particularly painful. Rehabilitation involves transplanting coral fragments, monitoring water quality, and enforcing no-take zones — all of which require sustained effort and funding. A single blast fishing event can destroy years of this work in minutes. The craters left on the seafloor are not just physical scars; they represent lost time, lost investment, and lost hope for the communities that depend on the reef.

Commissioner Rama’s frustration is palpable in his comments: “We’ve been working there since late 2020, back when Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia was a councilor. We do what we do to help give our fisherfolk in Cebu City a good chance at being able to put food on the table.” The emotional weight of seeing that work undone is compounded by the knowledge that the perpetrators were not even local residents. They came from outside, exploited the reef, and left. This pattern — outsiders targeting vulnerable areas — is common in illegal fishing and makes community-based enforcement even more critical.

What Can Be Done: Practical Steps for Communities and Authorities

Stopping blast fishing requires more than just stronger laws. It demands a combination of better enforcement, community engagement, and alternative livelihoods. The following subsections outline concrete actions that have shown promise in the Philippines and could be scaled up.

Strengthening Patrol Capacity and Coordination

The most immediate need is for more patrol boats and trained personnel. The Cebu City Bantay Dagat program’s allocation of P1 million for a new patrol boat is a positive step, but one boat is not enough to cover the entire city coastline. Local government units should prioritize funding for patrol assets, including boats, fuel, and communication equipment. Coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group is also essential, as illegal fishers often operate across jurisdictional boundaries. In Palawan, WildAid has been training and equipping 16 community-led patrol teams in Southern Leyte and Palawan, a model that could be replicated in other regions. These teams are on the front lines, patrolling coastal waters and reporting suspicious activity.

Improving Evidence Collection and Prosecution

Even when illegal fishers are caught, weak evidence can lead to acquittals. The introduction of scuba gear for underwater evidence collection by the Philippine National Police Maritime Group in Palawan is a game-changer. Divers can now document blast craters, collect samples of explosives residue, and photograph damaged coral — all of which can be used in court. Local governments should invest in similar training and equipment for their own enforcement teams. Additionally, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) should streamline the process for examining and certifying evidence, such as the blasted fish samples recovered by Bantay Dagat in the Cebu City incident. Faster processing means stronger cases.

Providing Alternative Livelihoods for Fishers

Many blast fishers are not hardened criminals; they are individuals who see no other way to make a living. Addressing the root cause of illegal fishing requires providing viable alternatives. This could include training in sustainable aquaculture, eco-tourism guiding, or seaweed farming. The Philippine government, in partnership with NGOs, has run several livelihood programs for former illegal fishers, but the scale remains small relative to the need. Communities that have successfully transitioned away from blast fishing often report higher long-term incomes and greater food security. The key is to make legal fishing more profitable than illegal fishing, which means investing in post-harvest facilities, market access, and credit programs.

Leveraging Technology for Monitoring

Technology can help bridge the gap between limited patrol resources and the vast areas that need monitoring. Satellite imagery, drone surveillance, and acoustic monitoring of explosions are all tools that have been used in other countries to detect illegal fishing. In the Philippines, the use of these technologies is still in its early stages, but pilot projects have shown promise. For example, acoustic sensors can detect the sound of underwater explosions and alert authorities in real time. While the upfront cost of such systems is significant, it may be lower than the cumulative cost of lost fisheries revenue and reef rehabilitation. For a related discussion on how technology is being used to address environmental challenges, see the article on Greenpeace Philippines’ Manila Bay cleanup and plastic polluters.

Frequently Asked Questions About Blast Fishing in the Philippines

What to Watch For Next

The fight against blast fishing in the Philippines is not a short-term campaign. It requires sustained investment in patrol capacity, community engagement, and alternative livelihoods. The Cebu City incident is a setback, but it also highlights the dedication of local enforcers like Bantay Dagat and the importance of public vigilance. If you live in a coastal area, knowing how to report suspicious activity and supporting local conservation efforts can make a real difference. The reef that was bombed in March 2025 may take years to recover, but the work of rehabilitation continues — because the alternative is accepting that some of the most biodiverse waters on Earth will be reduced to rubble. If this was useful, you might also want to read how Filipino rivers are being choked by waste.

Sources

How pollution worsens asthma in Filipino communities — A look at the health impacts of environmental degradation in the Philippines.

Explosives and cyanide are destroying coral reefs in the Philippines — here’s how we’re fighting back. WildAid, 2025.

Blast fishing ruins rehabilitated reef. SunStar Cebu, March 2025.