BFAR Pushed to Divulge Commercial Fishing Data Inside Municipal Waters
Press Release Date: May 26, 2026
In a privilege speech delivered Monday, Dinagat Island Rep. Kaka Bag-ao questioned the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for its refusal to disclose vital tracking information that could stop the illegal entry of commercial fishing vessels into the country’s 15-kilometer municipal waters.
Responding to the call of fisherfolk, local government units (LGUs), and civil society groups, Bag-ao called on BFAR to submit to Congress its report on the status of implementation of Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM) and updates on the sharing of data from the system.
“Hindi sapat na monitoring lang; kailangan ng transparensiya, kailangan ng real-time data sharing, at higit sa lahat, kailangan ng enforcement. BFAR is not lacking in capacity; BFAR is withholding action. Hinahayaan nilang maging “bulag” ang mga LGU at law enforcers sa mga nangyayari sa dagat dahil ayaw nilang ibahagi ang datos na ito,” said Bag-ao. (“They are keeping LGUs and law enforcers blind to what happens at sea because they refuse to share this data.”)
From 2017 to 2026, Congress allocated ₱7.05 billion to BFAR for a monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) system and ₱3.20 billion for the Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System (IMEMS), for a combined total of ₱10.25 billion (see General Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2017 to 2026). These funds were intended to implement the vessel monitoring system required under RA 10654 or the amended Fisheries Code.
As of 2025, BFAR reported that 90% of commercial fishing vessels carry functioning tracking devices. The agency has the real-time ability to detect illegal incursions into municipal waters, but data are not shared with LGUs and enforcement agencies.
“If BFAR shares the data, we can monitor vessels in real-time and know exactly where to go after them. With the limited resources of our implementing agencies, this can save a lot of time and effort,” said Palawan Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member Anton Alvarez. Palawan recently became the first province to ban commercial fishing inside its municipal waters.
Fisheries scientists who authored Oceana’s Fisheries Audit report recommended protecting the 15-kilometer municipal waters as the most effective way to restore the country’s collapsing fish stocks, which have been in freefall for the past 13 years.
“Small-scale fishers have suffered the most from the government’s weak fisheries and ocean governance,” said Von Hernandez, Vice President of international marine conservation group Oceana. “We welcome this resolution calling on the BFAR to submit to Congress a comprehensive report on their implementation of vessel monitoring measures and ensure full data transparency,” “BFAR must proactively share this data because every day that tracking information is withheld, more municipal fishing grounds are raided with impunity by greedy commercial fishers who face no consequences,” he added.
Bag-ao called on BFAR to disclose the data immediately so LGUs can enforce their mandate to protect municipal waters and the livelihoods of small-scale fisherfolk.
“Ang maliliit ang nawawala. Ang maliliit ang natatalo. Ang maliliit ang sinasakripisyo. Kung hindi natin ito haharapin, hindi lang isda ang mawawala. Nwawala ang kabuhayan at komunidad. Mawawala ang dignidad ng ating mangingisda,” said the legislator. (“The small ones disappear; the small ones lose. The small ones are sacrificed. If we do not confront this, we will lose not just fish – we will lose livelihoods, communities and the dignity of our fishers.”)
Karagatan Patrol a fisheries monitoring initiative by Oceana, analyzed satellite imagery from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and found evidence of night light detections consistent with commercial fishing activity inside municipal waters and even within protected areas—zones where commercial fishing is prohibited.
From January 2017 to March 2026, 317,315 detections were recorded and analyzed by Karagatan Patrol. In March 2026 alone 3,853 commercial fishing vessels were detected inside municipal waters, the highest monthly figure in the past five years (2022-2026). These incursions occurred despite unprecedented public investment in fisheries monitoring and enforcement.
The Senate also made an earlier call to address the gaps in inter-agency vessel monitoring data sharing, an issue that hinders efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in municipal waters. “We call on both the House and Senate to move for immediate actions to uphold transparency and accountability of the agency and its officials,” said Hernandez. (END)
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 325 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more.
For More Information:
Joyce Sierra, Communications Manager, Oceana
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