BFAR accused of favoring commercial fleets amid fisheries dispute

2026-03-19 - 05:51

MANILA, Philippines — An escalating dispute over the country’s municipal waters has drawn criticism from marine conservation group Oceana, which accused the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of favoring commercial fishing interests at the expense of millions of small-scale fishers. In a press release issued Monday, Oceana said the agency’s interpretation of a