Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 43)
The title is the Fishery Industry Development Decree of 1972.
The policy is to accelerate the integrated development of the fishery resources of the Philippines to achieve self-sufficiency in fish supply and promote industry growth.
It is composed of the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources as Chairman, Director of Fisheries as Vice-Chairman, Secretary of National Defense, Governor of Central Philippines, Chairman of the Development Bank of the Philippines, President of the Philippine National Bank, Chairman of the Board of Investments, and representatives of fishpond operators and fishing associations appointed by the President.
The fishery industry consists of the production, processing, preservation, marketing, and distribution of fish and fishery products.
Commercial fishing is fishing for commercial purposes in waters more than seven fathoms deep using fishing boats over three gross tons, while municipal or sustenance fishing is small-scale fishing using boats of three gross tons or less or gears not requiring boats.
It provides policy guidance, coordinates activities, promotes infrastructure establishment, encourages fleet modernization, protects fish habitats, draws financial programs, devises insurance systems, and adopts the Fishery Industry Development Program.
The Bureau of Fisheries as the research, advisory, and executive arm of the Council has primary responsibility for implementation with cooperation from other agencies.
Public lands suitable for fishponds are automatically transferred to the Bureau of Fisheries for administration, leased with development requirements (50% in commercial scale within 3 years, full within 5 years), with individual fishponds limited to 50 hectares and corporations to 500 hectares, and subleasing is prohibited.
Violations can result in fines up to five thousand pesos, imprisonment up to five years, or both. The Director of Fisheries may also impose administrative fines up to one thousand pesos, cancel permits or licenses, and impound illegal fishing equipment.
Only Filipino citizens and associations or corporations with at least 60% capital owned or controlled by Filipinos may engage in fishery-related business activities.