The Philippines’ coral reefs have been world renowned for their beauty and diversity of species, comprising over 400 coral species and may be over 1,000 of the 2,300 fish species found in the country’s territorial waters. Coral reef fisheries have been estimated to contribute from 15% to 25% of the total municipal fisheries in the country. More than 50% of the 62 million Filipinos are dependent on fish as the main source of protein. With an annual growth rate of around 2.8%, the coastal areas have experienced increasing fishing pressure on their marine resources. The intense fishing activity in these areas has oftentimes brought undesirable fishing practices which are either destructive (e.g., blastfishing and cyanide poisoning) or overly efficient (e.g., payaws). One of the fishing methods which have been subjects of controversy due to their deleterious impact on the coral reefs in muro-ami.