In light of the concerns raised by the Alliance of Philippine Fishing Federations Inc. (APFFI) against the reinstatement of Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 266 series of 2020 relative to its alleged effect on the fish supply and prices, the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) assures the public that it has been taking steps to always ensure an adequate supply of fish and other seafood products.
 
The DA-BFAR emphasizes that the fish prices are dependent on the sufficiency of fish supply, which the government ensures to provide enough through sustainable fisheries production programs. These include the National Payao Program, National Lambaklad Program, National Mariculture Program, Legislated Hatcheries Program, fishing boat and gear distribution program, broodstock development and maintenance, fingerling production and distribution, fish cage distribution, as well as the operation and maintenance of technology stations, national centers, and hatcheries.
 
Moreso, the Bureau stresses that while it adheres to the memorandum from the Office of
he Executive Secretary dated March 13, 2023 — which suspends the implementation of the FAO No. 266 and directs all concerned government agencies, including the DA-BFAR, to strengthen the government’s response against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing — it supports the implementation of FAO 266 mandating the installation of vessel monitoring measure in commercial fishing vessels. As a tool for monitoring, control, and surveillance, VMM can effectively help in the prevention, deterrence, and elimination of IUU fishing.
 
As the primary government agency mandated to manage the country’s fisheries and aquatic resources, the DA-BFAR remains strongly committed to increasing production and ensuring fish sufficiency through sustainable means and without compromising the ecological integrity of our aquatic and marine environment.