Editing Visayan Sea (section)

{{short description|Sea in the Philippines between Masbate, Leyte, Cebu, Negros and Panay}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox body of water
| name                   = Visayan Sea
| etymology              = [[Visayas]]
| location               = {{ubl | item_style=white-space:nowrap; | [[Bicol Region]] | [[Visayas]]}}
| pushpin_map            = Visayas#Philippines
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt        =
| pushpin_map_caption    = Location within the Philippines
| coordinates            = {{coord|11|30|00|N|123|40|00|E|region:PH_type:waterbody|display=inline,title|format=dms}}
| coor_pinpoint          =
| part_of                =
| image                  = North-South Gigante.JPG
| alt                    =
| caption                = [[Islas de Gigantes]] in the Visayan Sea
| type                   = [[sea]]
| countries              = [[Philippines]]
}}

The '''Visayan Sea''' is a sea in the [[Philippines]] surrounded by the islands of the [[Visayas]]. It is bounded by the islands [[Masbate (island)|Masbate]] to the north, [[Panay]] to the west, [[Leyte (island)|Leyte]] to the east, and [[Cebu]] and [[Negros Island|Negros]] to the south.<ref name=pna>{{cite news |last1=Lena |first1=Perla |title=Visayan Sea closed season starts Nov. 15: BFAR |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1121754 |access-date=12 November 2021 |work=Philippine News Agency |language=en}}</ref>

The sea is connected to several bodies of water: the [[Sibuyan Sea]] to the northwest via the [[Jintotolo Channel]], the [[Samar Sea]] to the northeast, the [[Guimaras Strait]] to the southwest which leads to [[Panay Gulf]], the [[Tañon Strait]] to the south, and the [[Camotes Sea]] to the southeast.

The largest island within this sea is [[Bantayan Island]] of Cebu province.

The sea is a major fishing ground for sardines, mackerel, and herring the Philippines.<ref name=closed-season>{{cite journal |last1=Napata |first1=Ruby |last2=Espectato |first2=Liberty |last3=Serofia |first3=Genna |title=Closed Season Policy in Visayan Sea, Philippines: A Second Look |journal=Ocean & Coastal Management |year=2020 |volume=187  |page=4|doi=10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105115 |s2cid=213881408 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In 2020, the Western Visayas accounts for 20 percent of sardines total production in the Philippines.<ref name=pna/> The sea covers an area of roughly {{convert|10000|sqkm|sqmi|abbr=on}} with 22 municipalities along its coastline. A closed season is imposed annually from November 15 to March 15 in portions of the sea through Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 167 since 1989.<ref name=closed-season/><ref>{{cite news |title=A tale of two seas: Closed season is a mixed bag for Philippine sardines industry |url=https://news.mongabay.com/2021/02/a-tale-of-two-seas-closed-season-is-a-mixed-bag-for-philippine-sardines-industry/ |access-date=12 November 2021 |work=Mongabay Environmental News |date=18 February 2021}}</ref>