AMENDMENTS

Sec.2[c]
AddedThePhilippinesshallpursueitscommitmentto
internationalconventionsandcooperatewithotherstatesand
internationalbodies,inordertoconserveandmanage
threatenedaquaticspecies,straddlingandhighlymigratoryfish
stocksandotherlivingmarineresources;
(f)Toadopttheprecautionaryprincipleandmanagefishery
andaquaticresources,inamannerconsistentwiththeconcept
ofanecosystembasedapproachtofisheriesmanagementand
integratedcoastalareamanagementinspeciesnaturalfishery
managementareas,appropriatelysupportedbyresearch,
technicalservicesandguidanceprovidedbytheState;
ApplicationoftheProvisions
Sec.3[d]added:
(d)allPhilippinejaggedeshingvesselsoperatinginareas
governedbyaRegionalFisheriesManagementOrganization
(RFMO),inthehighseas,orinwatersofothercoastalstates.
Sec.6Amendedthefeesandotherfisherycharges
TherentalsforeshpondareascoveredbytheFishpondLease
Agreement(FLA)orothertenurialinstrumentandlicensefees
forCommercialFishingVesselLicenses(CFVL)shallbeset
atlevelsthatrejectresourcerentaccruingfromtheutilization
ofresourcesandshallbedeterminedbytheDepartment:
Provided,ThattheDepartmentshallalsoprescribefeesand
otheresherychargesandissuethecorrespondinglicenseor

permitforeshinggear,eshingaccessoriesandothereshery
activitiesbeyondthemunicipalwaters:Provided,further,That
thelicensefeesofesheryactivityinmunicipalwatersshallbe
determinedbytheLocalGovernmentUnits(LGUs)in
consultationwiththeFARMCs.TheFARMCsmayalso
recommendtheappropriatelicensefeesthatwillbeimposed.
SEC.7.AccesstoFisheryResources.TheDepartmentshall
issuesuchnumberoflicensesandpermitsfortheconductof
esheryactivitiessubjecttoharvestcontrolrulesandreference
pointsasdeterminedbyscientiecstudiesorbestavailable
evidence.Preferenceshallbegiventoresourceusersinthe
localcommunitiesadjacentornearesttothemunicipal
waters.
SEC.8.HarvestControlRulesandReferencePoints.The
Secretarymayestablishreferencepointsandharvestcontrol
rulesinaesherymanagementareaorforaeshery:Provided,
however,Thatinmunicipalwatersandesherymanagement
areas,andwatersunderthejurisdictionofspecialagencies,
HarvestControlRulesandReferencePointsmaybe
establishedupontheconcurrenceandapprovalor
recommendationofsuchspecialagencyandtheconcerned
LGUinconsultationwiththeFARMCforconservationor
ecologicalpurposes.
SEC.14.Monitoring,ControlandSurveillance(MCS)of
FishinginallPhilippineWatersandPhilippineFlagged
DistantWaterFishingVessels.Amonitoring,controland
surveillancesystemshallbeestablishedbytheDepartmentin
coordinationwithLGUs,FARMCs,theprivatesectorand
otheragenciesconcernedtoensurethattheesheriesand

aquaticresourcesinPhilippinewatersarejudiciouslyand
wiselyutilizedandmanagedonasustainablebasisand
conservedforthebeneetandenjoymentexclusivelyofFilipino
citizens.TheMCSsystemshallencompassallPhilippine
jaggedeshingvesselsregardlessofeshingareaandenal
destinationofcatch.
SEC.30.RenewalofCommercialFishingVesselLicense.
Thecommercialeshingvessellicenseshallberenewedevery
three(3)years.
Theowner/operatorofaeshingvesselhasaperiodofsixty
(60)dayspriortotheexpirationofthelicensewithinwhichto
renewthesame.
SEC.31.TransferofOwnership.Theowner/operatorofa
registeredeshingvesselshallnotifytheDepartmentinwriting
ofanyintentiontotransfertheownershipofthevesselwithin
ten(10)daysbeforeitsintendedtransfertoanotherperson.
Failureoftheownertodososhallnotextinguishanyexisting
orpendingsanctionorliabilitywithrespecttosaideshing
vessel.
SEC.32.DistantWaterFishing.Fishingvesselsof
Philippineregistrymayengageindistantwatereshingas
deenedinthisCode:Provided,Thattheycomplywiththe
safety,manningandotherrequirementsofthePhilippineCoast
Guard,MaritimeIndustryAuthorityandotheragencies
concerned:Provided,however,Thattheysecureaeshing
permit,gearlicenseandotherclearancesfromtheDepartment:
Provided,further,Thattheeshcaughtbysuchvesselsshallbe
consideredascaughtinPhilippinewatersandthereforenot
subjecttoallimportdutiesandtaxesonlywhenthesameis

landedindulydesignatedeshlandingsandeshportsinthe
Philippines:Provided,furthermore,Thatlandingports
establishedbycanneries,seafoodprocessorsandallesh
landingsitesestablishedpriortotheeffectivityofthisCode
shallbeconsideredauthorized
landingsites:Provided,Anally,Thateshworkersonboard
Philippineregisteredeshingvesselsconductingeshing
activitiesbeyondthePhilippineExclusiveEconomicZoneare
notconsideredasoverseasFilipinoworkers.
Distantwatereshingvesselsshallcomplywiththemonitoring,
controlandsurveillancerequirements,conservationand
managementmeasures,andeshingaccessconditionsofthe
Department,theRFMO,orothercoastalstates.
SEC.33.Importation,ConstructionofNewFishingVessels
andGearsandConversionofOtherVessels.Priortothe
importationortheconstructionofneweshingvesselsorgears,
ortheconversionintoaeshingvessel,theapproval/clearance
oftheDepartmentmusterstbeobtainedinordertomanage
eshingcapacity.
SEC.38.ReportorialRequirements.Eachcommercial
eshingvesselshallkeepadailyrecordofeshcatchand
spoilage,landingpoints,andquantityandvalueofeshcaught,
andoffloadedfortranshipment,saleand/orotherdisposal.
Detailedinformationshallbedulycertieedbythevessels
captainandtransmittedtoBFARwithintheperiodprescribed
intheimplementingrulesandregulationspromulgatedbythe
Department.Failuretocomplyshallresulttoadministrative
andpenalsanctions.

Section42wasdeletedandischangedwith:
SEC.42.PortStateMeasures.TheDepartmentis
authorizedtoadoptportstatemeasuresthatmustbecomplied
withbyforeigneshingvessels.Thesemeasuresshallinclude:
priornotiecationofportentry;useofdesignatedports;
restrictionsonportentryandlandingortranshipmentofesh;
restrictionsonsuppliesandservices;catchandother
documentationrequirements;portinspections;andother
relatedmeasures.
TranshipmentbyPhilippineFlaggedFishingVesselsshallbe
regulatedbytheDepartmentinamannerconsistentwiththe
Philippinescommitmenttoconventionsandinternational
agreements.
Amendmenttosection62
SEC.62.TradeRelatedMeasures.Standardsforweights,
volume,qualityandothermeasurementsforalleshery
transactionsandtradeshallbesetbytheDepartment.
Alleshandesheryproductsforexport,importanddomestic
consumptionshallmeetthequalitygrades/standardsand
labelingandinformationrequirementsasdeterminedbythe
Department.
TheLGUconcernedshall,byappropriateordinance,penalize
fraudulentpracticesandunlawfulpossessionoruseof
instrumentofweightsandmeasures.
TheDepartmentmayprescribetraderelatedmeasuresto
reduceoreliminatetradeineshandesheryproductsderived

fromillegal,unregulatedandunreported(IUU)eshing.
AmendmentthefunctionsofBFAR
SEC.65.FunctionsoftheBureauofFisheriesandAquatic
Resources.Asalinebureau,theBFARshallhavethe
followingfunctions:
(a)prepareandimplementaComprehensiveNationalFisheries
IndustryDevelopmentPlan;xxx
(r)formulateandimplementrulesandregulationsforthe
conservationandmanagementofstraddlingeshstocks,highly
migratoryeshstocksandthreatenedlivingmarineresources
suchassharks,raysandludong,interalia,inthePhilippine
ExclusiveEconomicZone,territorialsea,archipelagicand
internalwaters,incoordinationwithLGUsand
integrated/municipal/cityFisheriesandAquaticResources
ManagementCouncils;
(s)train,designateanddeployesheriesobserversinPhilippine
jaggedeshingvesselsengagedincommercialeshingin
Philippinewatersordistantwatereshingtoensurecompliance
withconservationandmanagementmeasuresadoptedby
RFMOSandbytheDepartment;
(t)implementboardingandinspectionprotocolsupon
Philippinejaggedeshingvesselsinordertopromote
observancetointernationaltreatyobligationsonfoodsafety,to
curbillegal,unreportedandunregulatedeshing,andtocomply
withconservationandmanagementmeasures;
(u)adoptanappropriatemonitoring,control,surveillanceand
traceabilitysystemformunicipaleshingvesselssupplying

exporterswithconcurrenceofthelocalgovernmentunits;
(v)adoptandimplementanationalplanofactiontomanage
eshingcapacity,implementtheinternationalcodeofconduct
forresponsibleesheries,anddeclareesherymanagementareas
asoverexploitedincoordinationwiththeLGUsand
FARMCs;
(w)requireperformancebondsandimposeandcollect
reasonablefeesandchargesforlaboratoryservices,inspection,
deploymentofesheriesobservers,andcatchdocumentation
andvalidation,takingintoaccountthebalancerequired
betweenrecoveringthecostsofservicesrenderedandthe
socioeconomicimpactoftheirimposition,uponprior
consultationwithstakeholders;
(x)hearanddecideadministrativecasesbeforeit;
(y)determinetheappropriatelevelsofadministrativeandother
sanctions,particularlyforseriousviolations,thatdeprive
offendersofeconomicbeneetsfromtheirviolationsofthe
laws,rulesandregulations;
(z)initiatethecriminalprosecutionofoffensescommittedin
violationofthisCoderegardlessoftheirsitus;and
(aa)performsuchotherrelatedfunctionswhichshallpromote
thedevelopment,conservation,management,protectionand
utilizationofesheriesandaquaticresources.
SEC.17.ChapterVIofRepublicActNo.8550ishereby
repealedandreplacedwithanewChapterVItoreadas
follows:

SEC.18.AnewChapterVIIonadministrativeadjudicationis
herebyinsertedafterChapterVIofRepublicActNo.8550,to
readasfollows: