The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is the government agency responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of the country’s fisheries and Aquatic Resources. It was reconstituted as a line bureau by virtue of Republic Act No. 8550 (Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998).

It is reconstituted as a line bureau of the Department of Agriculture by virtue of Republic Act No. 8550 (The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998).

 

As a line bureau, the DA-BFAR have the following functions:
a) prepare and implement a Comprehensive National Fisheries Industry Development Plan;
b) issue licenses for the operation of commercial fishing vessels;
c) issue identification cards free of charge to fishworkers engaged in commercial fishing;
d) monitor and review joint fishing agreements between Filipino citizens and foreigners who conduct fishing activities in international waters, and ensure that such agreements are not contrary to Philippine commitment under international treaties and convention on fishing in the high seas;
e) formulate and implement a Comprehensive Fishery Research and Development Program, such as, but not limited to, sea farming, sea ranching, tropical/ornamental fish and seaweed culture, aimed at increasing resource productivity, improving resource use efficiency, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the country’s fishery and aquatic resources;
f) establish and maintain a Comprehensive Fishery Information System;
g) provide extensive development support services in all aspect of fisheries production, processing and marketing;
h) provide advisory services and technical assistance on the improvement of quality of fish from the time it is caught (i.e. on board fishing vessel, at landing areas, fish markets, to the processing plants and to the distribution and marketing chain);
i) coordinate efforts relating to fishery production undertaken by the primary fishery producers, local government units (LGUs), Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (FARMCs), fishery and organizations/cooperatives;
j) advise and coordinate with LGUs on the maintenance of proper sanitation and hygienic practices in fish markets and fish landing areas;
k) establish a corps of specialists in collaboration with the Department of National Defense, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs for the efficient monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities within Philippine territorial waters and provide the necessary facilities, equipment and training therefor;
l) implement an inspection system for import and export of fishery/aquatic products and fish processing establishments consistent with international standards to ensure product quality and safety;
m) coordinate with LGUs and other concerned agencies for the establishment of productivity enhancing and market development program in fishing communities to enable women to engage in other fisheries/economics activities and contribute significantly to development efforts;
n) enforce all laws, formulate and enforce all rules and regulations governing the conservation and management of fishery resources, except in municipal waters, and to settle conflicts of resource use and allocation in consultation with the NFARMC, LGUs and local FARMCs;
o) develop value-added fishery-products for domestic consumption and export;
p) recommend measures for the protection/enhancement of the fishery industries;
q) assist the LGUs in developing their technical capability in the development, management, regulation, conservation and protection of the fishery resources;
r) formulate and implement rules and regulations for the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks, highly migratory fish stocks and threathened living marine resources such as sharks, rays and ludong, inter alia, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, territorial sea, archipelagic and internal waters, in Economic Zone
s) train, designate and deploy fisheries observers in Philippine flagged fishing vessels engaged in commercial fishing in Philippine waters or distant water fishing to ensure compliance with conservation and management measures adopted by RFMOs and by the Department
t) implement boarding and inspection protocols upon Philippine flagged fishing vessels in order to promote observance to international treaty obligations on food safety, to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and to comply with conservation and management measures
u) adopt an appropriate monitoring, control, surveillance and traceability system for municipal fishing vessels supplying exporters with concurrence of the local government units;
v) adopt and implement a national plan of action to manage fishing capacity, implement the international code of conduct for responsible fisheries, and declare fishery management areas as over-exploited in coordination with the LGUs and FARMCs;
w) require performance bonds and impose and collect reasonable fees and charges for laboratory services, inspection, deployment of fisheries observers, and catch documentation and validation, taking into account the balance required between recovering the costs of services rendered and the socioeconomic impact of their imposition, upon prior consultation with stakeholders;
x) hear and decide administrative cases before it;
y) determine the appropriate levels of administrative and other sanctions, particularly for serious violations, that deprive offenders of economic benefits from their violations of the laws, rules and regulations;
z) initiate the criminal prosecution of offenses committed in violation of this Code regardless of their situs; and
aa) perform such other related functions which shall promote the development, conservation, management, protection and utilization of fisheries and aquatic resources.