The National Marine Fisheries Development Center (NMFDC) was established in 1974 with funding assistance from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to provide a common base for the development and upgrading of the manpower needs of the marine fishing industry through the implementation of the Skipper / Master fishermen and Boat Engineering Courses.

The center was formerly called the Fishermen’s Training Center (FTC) and operated from 1974 to 1975 under the assistance of UNDP which provided the expertise and equipment. However, during the early part of 1976, the funding assistance was terminated and BFAR took over for its operation and management.

On July 24, 1987, the FTC was renamed National Commercial Fisheries Development Center (NCFDC) during the implementation of the reorganization of BFAR. In 1996, the center was again renamed into National Marine Fisheries Development Center (NMFDC) in order to provide expanded services to the entire marine fishing industry.

The NMFDC is located 35 kilometers south of Manila. It is inside the Cavite Naval Base, Sangley Point, Cavite City. It is about 11/2 hours by car from Luneta Park, Manila.

The NMFDC has the following functions:

  • Supervise and administer the overall operation and management of the center and its facilities;
  • Administer, maintain and safeguard the operation of BFAR training vessels;
  • Study, formulate, recommend policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures to effectively implement training and development on marine fisheries technology and vessel management / operations;
  • Prepare vessel management, utilization and deployment plans in coordination with the other concerned divisions;
  • Package priority training programs and develop training manuals, handbooks, instructional materials on the various fields of marine fisheries technology;
  • Establish and operate pilot demonstration projects in marine fisheries technology and development as show windows on technology transfers;
  • Conduct specialized manpower development programs responsive to the need of the workforce of the marine fishing industry representing the commercial and municipal fisheries sector, academe and other fisheries institutions;
  • Provide technical assistance on the various aspects of marine fisheries technology to the RFOs, RFTCs, LGUs and other fisheries schools, colleges and research institutions;
  • Extend support and technical services to concerned RFOs, NFRDI, fisheries schools / colleges and other BFAR divisions in the conduct of their researches, development and verification studies and specialized training courses;
  • Establish / maintain linkages with concerned BFAR divisions and various regional, provincial, municipal fishery offices and the academe on the conceptualization, preparation of the national training and development programs to ensure performance productivity within sustainable and ecological limits;
  • Prepare, provide and extend nationwide training on integrated fishery livelihood projects for small-scale fisherfolk to uplift their socioeconomic living conditions;
  • Coordinate and collaborate with international, regional and national training and research institutions including LGUs and NGOs to secure funding assistance / grants for the conduct of collaborative research, training and development programs;
  • Institutionalize the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) with emphasis on the fishing operation and management of the workforce of the marine fishing industry, in collaboration with the Capture Fisheries Technology Division (CFTD) and the Fisheries Resource Management Division (FRMD);
  • Prepare training and development proposal and secure funding from international donor institutions;
  • Perform other functions as may be assigned by the BFAR Director