Press Release
October 28, 2014

Senate approves amendments to fisheries code on third reading

The Senate has approved on third reading the bill that puts more teeth to the law providing for the management and conservation of the fisheries and aquatic resources of the country.

Senate Bill No. 2414, sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Villar, amends Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 by strengthening the drive against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF).

Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, thanked the Senate leadership for prioritizing the bill that will help the country pursue its international commitments.

"We have updated the law in order to make the country an active player in the conservation and sustainable development of the world's fisheries and aquatic resources and at the same time take care of our own fisherfolks," Villar said.

The bill is also a response to the European Union's warning that Philippine fish exports may be banned from the trading bloc if it fails to prevent, deter and eliminate IUUF.

Further, the bill seeks to create the Fisheries Management Fund, which will be sourced from fines and penalties from illegal acts under the bill.

"By increasing the penalty against illegal fishing activities, we are not only discouraging people to commit these acts, we are also putting up a fund that will help the fishery sector," Villar said.

Villar said the fund will provide livelihood programs and scholarship programs for children of fisher folks.

Under the proposed amendments to the 16-year-old law, 25 percent of the fund will be allocated to BFAR for fishery law enforcement and 75 percent will be allotted to provide assistance to poor fisherfolks.

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