BFAR enhancing tracing systems to boost fish catch sustainability

THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said it will roll out a series of programs between March and November to enhance the traceability of the fish catch and deter illegal fishing practices.

The BFAR said the program, which is part of a broader effort to curb illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF), will focus on developing guidelines for sustainable sourcing, establishing certification templates, and conducting assessments and monitoring of marine resources.

“These initiatives will ensure a sustainable and IUUF-free supply of fish for both domestic and international markets,” BFAR spokesman Nazario C. Briguera told BusinessWorld via Viber.

Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 275, signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. in November, requires imported fishery products to be documented at various stages of the supply chain, from ports of entry to warehouses and domestic distribution points.

The order also provides for the digitalization of traceability systems for imported fishery commodities. “Digital reporting is a part of the traceability insofar as imported fishery products are concerned,” Mr. Briguera said.

He said this would involve the development and use of an electronic system of reporting to verify the details of landed imports.

FAO 275 also requires imported wild-caught fish to be accompanied by a catch certificate issued by the authorities of the exporting country, a measure designed to prevent illegally caught fish from entering the domestic market.

The Philippines recently improved one spot to 54^th out of 152 coastal countries in the 2025 edition of the IUUF Index of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.

The index gave the Philippines a score of 2.34 on a scale of 5, where 1 is the best possible score. While slightly above the global average of 2.27, the Philippines outperformed the Asian regional average of 2.55. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel