BFAR to ask Supreme Court to reconsider vessel monitoring ruling

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said Monday that it will ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling declaring the vessel monitoring system unconstitutional, BusinessWorld reported. The agency said it is confident a review will uphold its mandate as a technical and specialized body.

The vessel monitoring system is a tracking mechanism used by BFAR to monitor fishing vessels and enforce fisheries regulations. The Supreme Court had struck down the system in a decision that BFAR now seeks to have reversed. The agency argues that the system is essential to its duties in managing the country's fisheries and marine resources.

A reconsideration motion, if granted, would allow the Supreme Court to revisit its ruling. The outcome could affect how BFAR monitors fishing activities and enforces compliance with fisheries laws. No date has been set for the court's action on the motion.