CEBU CITY, Feb. 17 -- The deluge of sardine fish that washed ashore in a coastal village in the southern town of Ginatilan on Valentine's Day is something not to worry about, a regional fishery official said Friday.

Mario Ruinita, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 7 (Central Visayas), said the beaching of thousands of sardine fish on Feb. 14 could be a positive effect of the 60-day closed fishing season imposed on the Visayan Sea.

"It's a positive impact in the area after the closing of fishing season. They should not be associated with geological phenomena. This is normal, especially since we are entering the summer season where fish is abundant," Ruinata said.

Residents of Ginatilan's coastal village of...