A number of stakeholders in the fishery sector had been calling for the establishment of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR), separate from the Department of Agriculture (DA). Its proponents cite two main justifications. One is that under the DA, the fishery sector is not accorded proper attention as the agency has to attend to the development of numerous commodities. Two, as a result of that inadequate attention, despite being an archipelagic country with expansive coastal areas and rich aquatic resources, the development of our aquatic resources in general and the fishing communities in particular has been painfully slow.

Adriano, F. D. (2020, December 24). Is creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources a good idea?. The Manila Times , p. B5.