Many people were alarmed when news broke that tawilis, a popular fish in the Philippines, is now endangered. So much so that at least two businesses have announced that they will stop serving or distributing the fish.
Rustic Mornings by Isabelo, a Marikina-based all-day breakfast restaurant announced in a Facebook post earlier today that they will now stop serving their Crispy Tawilis dish.
“As we continue to hope for better conservation measures and a bigger chance of survival of the now endangered Tawilis in the country, we are letting go of our Crispy Tawilis effective today, January 28,” it said in the post.
“We hope that everyone can take part in this important advocacy to preserve the only freshwater sardinella in the world, which can only be found in the Philippines,” it added.
READ: Filipino fave Tawilis fish is now endangered
Meanwhile, canned goods brand San Marino announced on its social media platforms on Friday that it will also stop producing their canned tawilis to help in preserving the fish.
It said in its statement that it is “committed to doing its share in protecting and preserving our marine wildlife and natural resources.”
It added that it “will begin withdrawing our stocks from all stores as soon as possible.”
Netizens lauded both brands for their efforts but Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. minced no words in criticizing San Marino’s announcement.
He said: “WHY PULL OUT THE STOCKS on grocery shelves; they’re fucking dead already; c’mon, don’t be jerks for the endangered species.”
“Distribute the stock among the poor; they’re even more endangered by no one champions their cause,” he added.
WHY PULL OUT THE STOCKS on grocery shelves; they're fucking dead already; c'mon, don't be jerks for the endangered species; distribute the stock among the poor; they're even more endangered by no one champions their cause. https://t.co/LR2i0odymH
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 26, 2019
San Marino eventually said in a comment to their post that they plan to donate their canned tawilis to charities.
Tawilis is a favorite among Filipinos and is considered a staple dish, which is why the move is quite bold.
Taal Lake’s sardinella tawilis or bombon sardine, the only freshwater sardine in the world, is now part of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s endangered list due to a number of reasons which include “overexploitation, pollution, and competition and/or predation with introduced fishes.”
Other factors that come into play are overfishing, the illegal use of active fishing gears like motorized push nets and ring nets, the proliferation of fish cages, and the deterioration of water quality.
Both the Department of Environment Resources and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) are planning to implement a fishing ban to help preserve tawilis, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
