Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. 1896
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE LORDAN G. SUAN 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The aquatic resources of the Philippines are broadly divided into marine 
resources and inland resources. Our country’s unique geographic feature as an 
archipelago promises abundance of these resources and opportunities for economic 
growth. For a long time, we have enjoyed these blessings. We thought they’re limitless, 
until scarcity and poverty started banging our doors. 
Based on the available data of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the 
volume of our country’s fisheries production had been declining year after year, except 
for the years 2018 and 2019 wherein we saw slight recoveries. It means the growth of 
the fisheries industry which is attributed to production of aquaculture, the municipal 
capture fisheries, and the commercial capture fisheries, is on the negative. In 2020, our 
fishery export was at 261,495.23 MT but our total fishery import was at 405,570 MT.  
The importance of the aquatic resources in terms of the demands of our growing 
population and the country’s need to propel economic development cannot be undermined. The 
fishing industry is contributing Php266B to our economy. It shared 12.54% of the Gross Value 
Added (GVA) in the Aquaculture, Hunting, Forestry, and Fishing Group of our agricultural 
sector in 2021. Aside from the pressure of feeding 111M Filipinos, more than 2M 
fisherfolks rely on this industry. 
Over the years, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has ballooned into 
nine (9) functional divisions and eight (8) technology centers. The need to elevate this 
Bureau into a Department, separate and distinct from the Department of Agriculture is 
not just a recognition of the enormous task we have lodged upon its shoulders but to 
acknowledge the importance of our aquatic resources in securing food security for today 
and tomorrow’s generation. As a Department, sufficient resources can be allocated to 
develop, manage, utilize, protect and conserve these valuable resources. Additionally, this 
legislative action,  will address the poverty incidence besetting the aquatic industry 
sector. 
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this Bill is earnestly, sought. 
HON. LORDAN G. SUAN 
July 15, 2025
10:28 am


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL No. 1896
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE LORDAN G. SUAN 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
AN ACT CREATING THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC 
RESOURCES, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND FUNCTIONS, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Department of Fisheries and 
Aquatic Resources Act.” 
SECTION 2.  Declaration of Policy.  It is hereby declared the policy of the State to regulate, 
protect, conserve, and develop its aquatic resources to provide a healthy and balanced 
ecology for its people and to ensure that their benefits will be enjoyed by succeeding 
generations. 
All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, 
all forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora and fauna, and 
other natural resources are owned by the State. Their exploration, development, and 
utilization are under the full control and supervision of the State.  
The state shall protect the nation's marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial 
sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to 
Filipino citizens. The utilization and development of these resources shall be based on 
real contribution to economic growth and the general welfare of the people.  
The State shall protect the rights of subsistence fishermen, especially of local 
communities, to the preferential use of the communal marine and fishing resources, both 
inland and offshore. It shall provide support to such fishermen through appropriate 
technology and research, adequate financial, production, and marketing assistance, and 
other services.  
SECTION 3. Creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. The 
Department of Fisheries an Aquatic Resources hereinafter referred to as the Department 
is hereby created in accordance with the provisions of this Act. 


 
 
 
 
SECTION 4. Mandate. The Department shall develop, manage, conserve, and protect the 
nation’s aquatic resources for the country’s economic growth and the general welfare of 
the people. 
The Department shall ensure the sustainable utilization and development of aquatic 
resources to increase productivity, attain food security, achieve a balanced ecosystem, 
and secure the availability of these resources for the benefit of future generations. 
The Department shall provide efficient and effective administrative and technical 
services necessary for the utilization, management, protection, and preservation of 
aquatic resources. 
The Department shall adopt policies and measures that will engage the active 
participation of relevant stakeholders, ensure that the rights of fisherfolks are protected, 
and adequate support are guaranteed to them. 
The Department shall invest in appropriate technology, research, marketing, and 
financial support services to fulfill the mandate of the agency. 
SECTION 5. Powers and Functions. To accomplish the mandate of the Department, it shall 
have the following powers, functions, and responsibilities: 
a) Prepare and implement a Comprehensive Aquatic Resources Development 
Plan; 
b) Issue regulations on the conduct of research and survey activities on aquatic 
resources; 
c) Issue licenses and permits on the utilization of aquatic resources and all 
activities related to it; 
d) Set and collect fees and other charges on activities related to the exploration, 
utilization and development of aquatic resources; 
e) Establish a Comprehensive Aquatic Resources Information System; 
f) Coordinate with LGUs and concerned agencies on the utilization, development, 
rehabilitation and conservation of aquatic resources; 
g) Prescribe ceilings, limitations and restrictions on the exploitation of aquatic 
resources; 
h) Conduct an inventory and set regulations for rare, threatened and endangered 
aquatic resources; 
i) Conduct an Environmental and Impact Assessment Study prior to the 
implementation of all activities and projects; 
j) Establish a monitoring, control and surveillance system; 
k) Exercise quasi-judicial functions on resource use and allocation in 
coordination with the LGUs; 
l) Assist the LGUs in determining municipal water boundaries; 
m) Establish marine protected areas; 
n) Provide technical assistance and developmental support services to fisherfolk 
and the LGUs; and 
o) Perform other functions consistent with this Act and as may be provided by 
law. 
 


 
 
 
SECTION 6. Structure. The Department shall be composed of the Office of the Secretary, 
Offices of Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries, Attached Agencies, the Regional 
Offices, and Administrative Offices. 
 
SECTION 7. Qualifications. The Secretary, Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries 
shall be Filipino citizens of good moral character and of proven competence and integrity. 
They shall be appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines. 
 
SECTION 8. Bureaus. The following Bureaus shall be created to carry out the functions of 
the Department: 
a. Bureau of Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries 
b. Bureau on Licenses and Regulations 
c. Bureau of Training, Support and Extension Services 
d. Conservation Management Bureau 
e. Aquatic Resources Research Bureau 
SECTION 9. Abolition and Transfer.  The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources under 
the Department of Agriculture shall be abolished, and its functions, appropriations, 
records, liabilities, properties, equipment, and personnel shall be transferred to the 
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. All personnel of BFAR shall enjoy the 
security of tenure and shall be absorbed by the Department in accordance with the 
staffing pattern and the selection process as prescribed under Republic Act 6656 on the 
Rules on Government Reorganization. 
SECTION 10. Offices, functions, and personnel to be completely subsumed by the 
Department. 
The following offices and agencies with their powers, functions, personnel, applicable 
funds and appropriations, records, equipment and property are to be subsumed by the 
Department:  
a) The National and Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management 
Councils created by Republic Act 8550; 
b) The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute created by 
Republic Act 9550; 
c) The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority created by Presidential Decree 
No. 977; 
d) The Philippine Technical Advisory Committee of the SEAFDEC Aquaculture 
Department created under Executive Order No. 834; 
e) The Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Resources and Development; 
f.) The Marine Research and Conservation Division and the Coastal Environment 
Program of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; 
g.) The fisheries-related sections of the Laguna Lake Development Authority; and 


 
 
 
h.) The fisheries-related sections of the Bureau of Agricultural Research, the 
Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, and the Bureau of Agricultural Training Institute 
of the Department of Agriculture. 
SECTION 11. Transitory Provision. The transfer of functions, assets, funds, transactions, 
equipment, properties, and personnel as herein provided shall take effect within 6 
months from the effectivity of this Act. As such, all affected agencies/offices/units shall 
continue to function under their present mandates until the transition is fully in effect.  
SECTION 12: Appropriations. The sum of Five Billion Pesos (P5,000,000,000.00) from the 
available funds of the National Treasury and the current appropriations of the Bureau of 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Philippine Fishing Development Authority, and the 
Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research Development is hereby appropriated 
and authorized to be released for the organization of the Department and its initial 
operations. Thereafter, the Department shall submit its annual budget to fully carry out 
its powers and functions and achieve its objectives, to the Office of the President, for 
approval, provided, it shall not be less than the amount provided for in its initial 
implementation.  
SECTION  13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic 
Resources and other relevant agencies and departments charged with carrying out the 
provisions of this Act shall formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations, within 
sixty (60) days after its effectivity.  
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, rules and regulations, or portions 
thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 15. Separability Clause. — If any provisions of this Act or the application of such 
provision to any person or circumstances be declared unconstitutional, the remainder of 
this Act or the application of such provision to other person or circumstances shall not be 
affected by such declaration. 
SECTION 16. Effectivity. —  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the date of its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,