Fish

Moalboal sardines

Sardinella spp.

Off Moalboal, a dense silver school of small fish often swirls near shore. Float calmly and let the school reshape itself. Never chase or split it.

Varies by speciesIn 1 Atlas country

Varies by species: the Bali sardinella, the name most people use for Moalboal, is Near Threatened (IUCN, 2017), while the other likely sardines are Least Concern. The species at Moalboal is not confirmed.

Sardine school forming a shimmering wall in Moalboal, Philippines — Photo: Claus Giering on Unsplash

Freediver swimming inside the Moalboal sardine run — Photo: Chinh Le Duc on Unsplash

Freediver descending through a dense sardine school, Philippines — Photo: Marty Garcia on Unsplash

School of silver sardinella swimming in blue water — Photo: Jay Paroline, iNaturalist, CC BY

Photos show the species, not always the places on this page.

Length

Not reliably measured for the Moalboal school, because the species are not confirmed

Weight

Not reliably measured for the Moalboal school

Next to a person

Each fish is roughly hand-sized; the whole school can be bigger than a group of snorkellers

What it eats

Not confirmed for the Moalboal school. Sardines in general feed on plankton, the tiny plants and animals that drift in the water.

Around people

Harmless

How it lives

These sardines form a dense, shifting school close to the shore at Moalboal. Exactly which species make up the school has not been confirmed, and it may include more than one kind of sardine as well as other small fish.

Where it goes

The Moalboal school is often reported near the reef wall through much of the year, but on some days it is not there. Why it stays is not known; ideas include plankton, nutrients and the safety of a big group. It is not a migrating 'run' like South Africa's seasonal sardine run.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Moalboal, in Cebu, has a sardine school that is often reported at the same site year round, though it is sometimes absent. It is often called the Bali sardinella, but the species has not been confirmed. Reports suggest a mix of several sardine species with some jacks.

Meet it respectfully

Stay on the edge of the school and let the fish choose how close to come. Do not swim into the school, chase it, surround it or split it, and never touch, feed or bait. Keep your fins well clear of the reef and follow local marine park rules.

Fun fact

Tap the bulb to light it up.

Where you may meet it