Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
| Kawanihan ng mga Pangisdaan at mga Yamang-Tubig | |
Logo of BFAR
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | May 17, 1974 |
| Headquarters | 3F PCA Building, Vasra, Quezon City, Philippines 14°39′13″N 121°3′4″E / 14.65361°N 121.05111°E |
| Annual budget | Php470M (2009) excluding AFMA |
| Agency executive |
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| Parent agency | Department of Agriculture |
| Website | BFAR website |
The Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Filipino: Kawanihan ng mga Pangisdaan at mga Yamang-Tubig, abbreviated as BFAR), is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Agriculture responsible for the development, improvement, management and conservation of the Philippines' fisheries and aquatic resources.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) started as a small agency in 1901 under the name Bureau of Government Laboratories, Department of Interior of the Philippine Commission. When the Civil Government was established on July 4, 1901, the Philippine Commission proposed the creation of an Office under the Department of Interior to take charge of the conservation, promotion and development of the country's fishery resources. This was not carried out, due to limited funds. The Secretary of the Interior, Dean Conant Worcester, continued to stir interest in the development of fisheries and, finally, in 1907, studies in fisheries began following the arrangement made by the Secretary of Interior for the services of the United States Fish Commission fisheries research vessel USS Albatross to work in Philippine waters for 18 months, and the employment of an American fisheries specialist in the Bureau of Science, to take charge of all work pertaining to fisheries. Considerable advances in the taxonomy of fish in the Philippines and documentation of fishing methods were made by Albert William Herre who served as the chief fishery officer in the Bureau of Science from 1919 to 1928.
On January 1, 1933, by virtue of General Memorandum Order No. 4 dated December 5, 1932 of the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, the Division of Fisheries and Division of Zoology of the Bureau of Science together with the Division of Forest Fauna and Grazing of the Bureau of Forestry were fused into one special division known as the Fish and Game Administration, which was placed under the direct administrative jurisdiction of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce. Under this arrangement, the Fish and Game Administration operated under the provisions of the Fisheries Act (Act No. 4003) and Act No. 2590, entitled "An Act for the Protection of Game and Fish." By subsequent reorganization effected on September 27, 1934, the Fish and Game Administration was returned to the Bureau of Science. The reason for its return was to strengthen the office through the use of equipment, personnel and appropriation of the Bureau.
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