The Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) is improving the certification scheme on aquaculture standards in the country through its Good Aquaculture Practices (GAqP) certification initiative.
The system will highlight a step-by-step framework for aquaculture farms to comply with various levels of standards, ensuring continuous improvement and sustainability in the aquaculture industry and lessening its environmental impact.
Elymi Ar-J Tuñacao, DA-BFAR Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Division Chief and GAqP NTWG member, emphasized the significance of GAqP in improving aquaculture farming while ensuring environmental protection.
“By complying with GAqP requirements, key issues like environmental impact, food safety, and animal welfare will be addressed. The ultimate goal of certifying aquaculture farms is to enhance farming practices that lead to safer, more responsible and sustainable production,” Tuñacao said.
The GAqP certification scheme serves as formal certification for aquaculture farms that meet established standards in accordance with the Official Inspection and Certification Systems and the Philippine National Standards (PNS) on GAqP. It ensures that farms adhere to best practices in aquaculture, including food safety, environmental management, traceability, animal health management and welfare, labor and community, and biosecurity.
The GAqP applies to all aquaculture farm operations, including fishponds, fish pens, fish cages, fish tanks, seaweed farms, shellfish, and crustacean culture areas in private and public lands. It also covers all levels of culture management—extensive, semi-intensive, and intensive—in freshwater, brackish, and marine environments.
Currently, DA-BFAR has a registration system under the National Residue Control Program (NRCP), as mandated by Fisheries Office Order (FOO) 205, series of 2019, that requires aquaculture farms registered under NRCP to follow the minimum requirements of the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for GAqP.
Section 112 of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 (RA 8550, as amended by RA 10654) also mandates all aquaculture farms to comply with GAqP. Failure to comply, resulting in significant environmental or operational issues—such as 50% mortality of cultured fish stocks or aquatic pollution, poisoning of wild fish population, and widespread contamination of pests and diseases—can result in penalties.
“There are already aquaculture farms registered under the NRCP, as listed by the Bureau, but the numbers will likely increase as the GAqP certification becomes institutionalized. Once fully implemented, the ladderized GAqP scheme will elevate the standards of aquaculture production across the country. The proposed ladderized certification scheme will gradually build the capacity of small-scale farmers to meet GAqP requirements,” Tuñacao added.
The GAqP certification promotes traceability to ensure that aquaculture farms adopt eco-friendly practices and farming techniques for safer and more sustainable production. By adhering to the guidelines, certified farms contribute to the long-term sustainability of the industry, while reducing environmental impact.
The GAqP initiative is part of the Bureau’s broader strategy to modernize the Philippine fisheries sector. Recently, DA-BFAR completed a series of consultations for the proposed Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO), which aims to develop a systematic approach and institutionalize GAqP certification nationwide. These consultations brought together various stakeholders from the aquaculture sector, including fish farmers, industry leaders, and partnered national government agencies. ###