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SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
1831 
Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Provided under Section 16 of the Republic Act No. 8550 or 
otherwise known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, Local 
Government Unit (LGU) has Jurisdiction on Municipal Waters. Section 
16 provides that the municipal/city government shall have jurisdiction 
over municipal waters as defined in the Code. The municipal/city 
government, in consultation with the FARMC shall be responsible for the 
management, conservation, development, protection, utilization, and 
disposition of all fish and fishery/aquatic resources within their 
respective municipal waters. The municipal/city government may, in 
consultation with the FARMC, enact appropriate ordinances for this 
purpose and in accordance with the National Fisheries Policy. The 
ordinances enacted by the municipality and component city shall be 
reviewed pursuant to Republic Act No. 7160 by the Sanggunian of the 
province which has jurisdiction over the same. 
In connection with the above-mentioned jurisdiction, under 
Section 139 (3) of Republic Act No. 7160 or otherwise known as the Local 
Government Code of 1991, the Sangguniang Sayan has the authority to 
issue licenses for the operation of the fishing vessels three (3) tonnage or , 
less. 
In terms of registration of fishing vessels with gross weight of three 
(3) tons or less, the marginalized fisherfolks encounter difficulty in 
registration where the offices of the concerned government agency 
authorized to register are inaccessible. The League of Municipalities of 
the Philippines, the League of Cities of the Philippines and the National 
Anti-Poverty 
Commission 
Fisherfolk 
Sectoral 
Council 
strongly 
recommend that the authority to undertake the registration of fishing 
vessels three (3) tonnage and below be devolved to the LGU's in line with 
their mandate under R.A. 7160 and 8550. 
This bill seeks to implement the devolution of the registration of 
fishing vessels with a maximum gross weight of three (3) tons or less to 
the municipalities and cities, which have marine or inland waters in their 
respective jurisdictions. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
E G()--·· 
JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 


SENATE OF THE PHILIPPINES 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
I 
) 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. ~}_~.-?~1~ __ 
Introduced by SENATOR JOSEPH VICTOR G. EJERCITO 
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AN ACT DEVOLVING TO MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES THE 
REGISTRATION OF FISHING VESSELS WITH A MAXIMUM GROSS 
WEIGHT OF THREE (3) TONS OR LESS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Devolution of Registration of Fishing Vessels. - The 
registration of fishing vessels with a maximum gross weight of three (3) 
tons or less is hereby devolved to municipalities and cities, which have 
marine or inland waters in their respective jurisdictions. 
SECTION 2. Responsibilities of the Local Government Units. - The 
municipality or city, as the case may be, shall perform the following 
responsibilities: 
(a) To maintain updated records of all registered fishing vessels 
within its jurisdiction; 
(b) To furnish on a regular basis the respective regional offices of 
the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), the Philippine Coast Guard 
(PCG) station/detachment and the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) with a certified true copy of 
the list of vessels registered and their complete description; 
(c) To institute a strict monitoring process to determine compliance 
by the owners of registered fishing vessels and to issue a new certificate 
number which must be clearly posted in the registered vessel for proper 
identification; 
(d) To cancel or revoke, after due process, the registration of the 
fishing vessel if found to have violated pertinent municipal or city 
ordinances and maritime laws. The owner/operator shall be immediately 
notified of the scheduled hearings. The MARINA, 
PCG and DA-
BFAR shall be provided with a copy of the result of the hearing and its 
I 
decision thereto; and 
(e) To impose reasonable administrative fines and penalties for 
non-registration of the fishing vessel within its territorial jurisdiction. 
The revenues collected out of fines shall be retained by the local 
government units concerned and shall be used for training or hiring of 


additional personnel to handle the registration of fishing vessels and the 
monitoring of compliance to such registration. 
SECTION 3. Responsibilities of the Department of Agriculture-
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Regional Offices. - The DA-
BFAR Regional Offices shall maintain a separate data bank of the list of 
registered fishing vessels for record purposes and proper monitoring of 
fishing activities in their respective area of operations. 
SECTION 
4. Responsibilities of the 
Owner/Operator. -
The 
owners/operators of registered fishing vessels shall report within ten (10) 
working days any changes in the ownership of the registered fishing 
vessel or change of home port or change of name of the fishing vessel. 
Such changes shall only be reflected upon submission of a new 
application for the issuance of a new certificate of registration. 
SECTION 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The MARINA, 
PCG,DA-BFAR and the Leagues of Municipalities and Cities of the 
Philippines, in consultation with the fisherfolk sector, shall promulgate 
the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act. 
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. -
All laws, decrees, executive 
orders, rules and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,