16/10/2026
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐
๐๐๐, ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข-๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ
In a move to unify and strengthen enforcement efforts against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF) in Samar Sea, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 8 convened key law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in Samar province for the initial meeting toward the activation of the Provincial Law Enforcement Coordinating Committeeโs Sub-Committee on Fishing and Marine Environment Protection (PLECC-SCFMEP) on October 16, 2026, in Catbalogan City, Samar.
Participating agencies included provincial/district representatives from Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP Maritime Group (PNP-MG), Bureau of Customs (BOC), Department of Justice (DOJ), Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), and the Provincial Local Government Unit (PLGU) of Samar. Observers from the Samar Sea Alliance for Fisheries Management and Development (SASAFMD) and the Alliance along Bays and Channel (AlsBach) in Samar were also invited to contribute their perspectives on fisheries management and marine resource protection.
The activity marked an initial step toward formally activating the PLECC-SCFMEP to strengthen inter-agency coordination, establish a unified approach to fisheries law enforcement, and improve collaborative efforts against IUUF in the Samar Sea.
The Samar Sea has been identified as an area of concern for IUUF activities in Eastern Visayas. Reported illegal fishing practices include the operation of hulbot-hulbot or modified Danish seine, trawl fishing, the use of explosives, and the encroachment of unlicensed commercial fishing vessels (CFVs) into municipal waters. These activities continue to threaten marine resources, undermine fisheries regulations, and affect the livelihood of municipal fishers.
โAddressing this challenge requires strong inter-agency cooperation, effective information sharing, and coordinated law enforcement efforts,โ shared by Provincial Fisheries Officer (PFO) Samar Marlon C. Sale.
During the initial meeting, participating agencies discussed the rationale and operational necessity of establishing the Samar Sea Anti-IUU Fishing Task Force. They also reviewed the proposed binding instrument for its establishment and identified initial actions needed to operationalize the Task Force, including clarifying agency mandates, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing coordination mechanisms for joint enforcement operations.
The PLECC-SCFMEP will convene quarterly to review enforcement concerns, assess progress on agreed actions, address coordination gaps, and identify priority interventions against IUUF in the Samar Sea. These regular meetings are also expected to guide the development of the Samar Sea Monitoring, Control, and Surveillance (MCS) Plan, which will establish a more coordinated and strategic approach to monitoring fishing activities, detecting violations, and strengthening enforcement responses.
Through sustained inter-agency collaboration, BFAR 8 and its partner agencies aim to strengthen fisheries law enforcement, protect the marine resources of the Samar Sea, and ensure the long-term sustainability of fisheries and the livelihoods of coastal communities. The initiative also seeks to address the persistent and long-standing problem of IUUF in identified hotspot areas through a more coordinated, sustained, and strategic enforcement approach.
