Question & AnswerQ&A (BFAR ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 248, S. 2013)
It regulates the size and collection of sea cucumbers for trade in the Philippines, including permits required and penalties for violations.
Orders Aspidochirotida and Dendrochirotida.
Only registered fisherfolk issued with an Aquatic Wildlife Collectors Permit (AWCP) by the BFAR Provincial Fishery Office.
No, a Local Transport Permit (LTP) issued by the PFO or Fisheries Quarantine Officer is required to transport sea cucumbers.
Sea cucumbers must be in dried form with a minimum size of 2 inches or 5 centimeters in length.
Yes, special permits may be granted to legitimate research or academic institutions for scientific or educational purposes.
Imprisonment of 10 days to 1 month and/or a fine ranging from Php 200 to Php 20,000.
Imprisonment of 5 to 10 days and a fine from Php 200 to Php 1,000.
Imprisonment of 10 days to 1 month and a fine of Php 1,000 to Php 5,000.
Eight years imprisonment and a fine of Php 80,000.
Confiscation and forfeiture of collected sea cucumbers, by-products, and the tools or conveyances used in the illegal acts.
Fines will increase by at least 10% every three years to maintain their deterrent effect, pursuant to Section 28 of RA 9147.
They may be returned to their natural habitat, buried, donated to museums or educational institutions, or disposed of as decided by BFAR.
It was issued pursuant to Section 11 of RA 8550 and Sections 22 and 25 of Fisheries Administrative Order No. 233 implementing RA 9147.
Processed meat refers to sea cucumber meat in various prepared forms like fresh, frozen, gutted, boiled, salted, smoked, dried, etc.
They are commercially valuable families of shallow-water sea cucumber species under order Aspidochirotida with genera such as Actinopyga, Bohadschia, Holothuria, Pearsonothuria, Stichopus and Thelenota.