International nongovernment organization Oceana urged the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to recall an order that limits the participation of local government units, fisherfolks, and key stakeholders in the 12 Fisheries Management Areas (FMAs) in the country. In its Fisheries Office Order 10, series of 2021, BFAR ordered for the rotation of the chair of the Management Body of Fisheries Management Area (FMA) among the covered BFAR regional offices and exclusion of the co-chairperson as representative from local government units. This policy, according to Oceana, is not practicable as the other BFAR regional offices are already tasked to lead other FMAs, noting that this might derail the activities and timeline of the FMAs, whose management body members have been working tirelessly amid these difficult times.

Gomez, E. J. (2021, April 17). Limited fisherfolk role in FMAs protested. The Manila Times, p. B3.