Nice, France – As the country’s frontliner in conservation and management efforts of the fisheries and aquatic resources, the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) joins a stream of international dialogues that highlight ocean concerns from June 9 to 13, 2025 in Nice, France.

Dubbed as the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference or UNOC3, the international event gathers coastal states from around the world to address pressing challenges confronting the world’s marine environments, including climate change, illegal, unreported unregulated (IUU) fishing, and marine pollution, among others.

The conference’s theme, “Accelerating Action and Mobilizing all Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean,” calls all societal actors to ensure that ocean resources are managed and sustainably utilized. Furthermore, it aims to establish breeding platforms where innovations and strategic action points towards the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14): Life below water.

SDG 14 aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development. This goal recognizes the crucial role of healthy oceans for human survival and the planet’s overall health.

“The participation of the DA-BFAR in this year’s ocean conference, particularly on Ocean Action Panels on Sustainable Fisheries Management and Promoting the Role of Sustainable Food from the Ocean allows the bureau to share its own initiatives. It also enhances the bureau’s awareness on the latest ocean issues and concerns from the global perspective while building and strengthening partnerships towards the effective implementation of present and future initiatives that contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean,” Agriculture Undersecretary for Fisheries Drusila Esther Bayate said.

“At the national level, the participation of the Philippines in this conference is crucial, as a coastal state surrounded by vast oceans with the majority of its people depending on the sea for their livelihoods,” she added.

The Philippine delegation is composed of key officials and representatives from the national and local governments, academe and non-government organizations. Leading the delegation is the Department of Agriculture’s Undersecretary for Fisheries, Usec. Drusila Esther Bayate.

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