Oceana welcomes Senate call for BFAR to disclose commercial fishing data and protect municipal waters
Press Release Date: February 25, 2026
International marine conservation group Oceana welcomes the Senate’s directive to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to report on the status of its implementation of the Amended Fisheries Code, particularly on the sharing of data from vessel monitoring measures (VMMs).
Committee Chair Senator Francis Pangilinan and committee members Senators Loren Legarda and Raffy Tulfo directed the BFAR to provide updates during the Technical Working Group meeting of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform on today.
“The BFAR already has the technology and resources to monitor the location and movement of over 90% of commercial fishing vessels in the country. This data—and the sharing of these to law enforcement agencies at the local and national levels— are key to the stronger protection of the 15-kilometers municipal waters from illegal and destructive fishing methods,” said Von Hernandez, Oceana Vice President. “The ball is in the court of BFAR and it is only proper for the Senate to hold them accountable for their failure, thus far, to share this information with agencies mandated to enforce the law at sea.”
During the hearing on February 18, Committee Chair, Senator Pangilinan instructed the BFAR to formalize the sharing of vessel monitoring data to concerned local government units (LGUs), through an official agreement between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP). “Siguro the LMP and DA can come up with the Memorandum of Agreement so that there is sharing of this information and the LGUs are likewise empowered to monitor the ingress and egress—for lack of the better term—ng mga commercial fishing, at malalaman kung sino iyong illegal at hindi illegal,” Pangilinan said.
In its submission to the Committee, Oceana illustrated the enforcement gaps due to lack of vessel monitoring data sharing. Hernandez said, “Despite 90% of commercial fishing vessels have installed transponders, the Fisheries Bureau does not share its data with Philippine Coast Guard, Philippine National Police–Maritime Group, and the local government units, especially in nationally-designated marine protected areas. How can we protect what we cannot see?”
Oceana further explained how VMMs are tools for effective enforcement and monitoring to ensure transparency and traceability of fishing vessels and prevent illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF).
For her part, Senator Loren Legarda added that civil society and fisherfolk groups should likewise be accredited as recipients of VMM data. “Kayo po ang magsuri, pero sana magamit ang data, dahil iyan naman ay details using government funds. Hindi pwedeng puro gobyerno lang nagbabasahan: DA Central, DA Region, tapos ano? Kayo-kayo nagtitinginan. Siyempre dapat alam ng LGUs at ng mga fisherfolk at NGOs,” Legarda explained.
Oceana reinforced its opposition to moves opening up the 15-kilometer municipal waters, legally reserved for artisanal fishers, to commercial fishing. The group expressed their support to the proposal of Legarda that will make that zone exclusive to municipal fishers.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPEAK OUT
Also at the hearing were the leaders of three coastal municipalities, all of whom are opposed to the entry of commercial fishing inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
Romblon Mayor Gerard Montojo said allowing commercial fishing inside municipal waters will result in the destruction of their corals. “Huwag nyo kaming pabayaan. We work hand in hand. Seryosohin nyo ang trabaho namin kasi kami ang nahihirapan.”
Municipality of Libertad, Antique Vice Mayor Jean Te expressed dismay over the Supreme Court ruling. “We were disappointed. We were the first to take a stand. We are a tuna highway. We also have our whale shark watching for our tourism activity. Pero paano na mangyayari yan kung papasok ang commercial fishing vessels?” said Te.
Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro Mayor Walter Marquez meanwhile, along with Oceana, filed the motion in intervention in the Supreme Court case of Mercidar.
“While the [Supreme Court] case is being heard, confusion abounds among local government units on allowing commercial fishing or Mercidar inside (their) municipal waters. However, some LGUs, as in the case of Romblon are asserting their authority and jurisdiction over the 15-kilometer municipal waters, not only based on the Fisheries Code but as mandated by the Local Government Code, which is (also) rooted in the Constitution,” Hernandez explained.
The three local executives expressed support to the bill of Senator Legarda on the exclusive use of artisanal and municipal fishers within the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
The local governments of Romblon, Sablayan and Santa Fe have also passed ordinances asserting their powers over the protection and management of their 15-kilometer municipal waters.
The hearing was conducted after Oceana released the Fisheries Audit report that looked into the implementation of the Amended Fisheries Code, Republic Act 10654. Its finding: despite the existence of progressive fisheries laws and the social justice provisions of the Philippine Constitution that should protect our fisheries and marine resources, the state of Philippine fisheries is on a rapid decline, with the country losing more than 45 million kilos of fish per year and fisherfolk families remaining mired in poverty.
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, Oceana Communications Manager
Mobile: 09178214430 E-mail: jsierra@oceana.org
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