SECTION 1. Section 9 of Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195, s. 1999, is hereby amended to read as follows: 

"Sec. 9. Accreditation — a. Tuna fish and tuna-like species not limited to the blue marlin, sailfish and swordfish landed by foreign fishing vessels at the Davao Fish Port Complex which fail to meet the standards for exportation may be sold to domestic fish processing establishments and institutional buyers duly accredited by BFAR. Such establishments are those engaged in tuna canning and in the processing of processed/frozen fish and fishery products." 

"b. The fish processing establishments and institutional buyers to be accredited, where applicable, shall meet the following requirements.

1) Registration with the Department of Trade and Industry; 

2) With Mayor's Permit to operate for single proprietorship, while registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission for corporations; 

3) With License to Operate (LTO) issued by the Department of Health/Bureau of Food and Drugs (DOH-BFAD); and 

4) Compliant with the Sanitation Standard Operating Procedure (or SSOP).”

"c. The procedure for accreditation, where applicable, shall be as follows:

1. Submission of Letter of Intent for accreditation to BFAR, accompanied by the following documents —

a. Copy of LTO issued by DOH-BFAD. 

b. Mayor's Permit to operate for single proprietorship, while SEC registration for corporations; 

c. Copy of written SSOP being implemented.

2. Consistent compliance to SSOP as verified by BFAR through plant inspection; 

3. Only plants maintaining AB, BA, or better rating on plant and equipment requirements shall be accredited and be allowed to buy the fishery products; 

4. Under no circumstance shall accredited processing plants be allowed to sell tuna and tuna like species unloaded from foreign vessels at the Davao Fish Port in its unprocessed or original form. Processing requires a significant value added that would alter form and substance except for sashimi".

SECTION 2. Effectivity — This order shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette and/or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation and fifteen (15) days after registration with the Office of the National Administrative Register.

Adopted: 6 March 2003

(SGD.) LUIS P. LORENZO, JR.
  Secretary

Recommended by:

(SGD.) MALCOLM I. SARMIENTO, JR.
  Director
  Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources  

(SGD.) CESAR M. DRILON, JR.
  Undersecretary for Fisheries
  Chairman, NFARMC