Section 16. Section 65 of the same Act is hereby amended, as follows:

“SEC. 65. Functions of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. – As a line bureau, the BFAR shall have the following functions:

(a) prepare and implement a Comprehensive National Fisheries Industry Development Plan;

x x x

(r) formulate and implement rules and regulations for the conservation and management of straddling fish stocks, highly migratory fish stocks and threatened living marine resources such as sharks, rays and ludong, inter alia, in the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, territorial sea, archipelagic and internal waters, in coordination with LGUs and integrated/municipal/city Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils;

(s) train, designate and deploy fisheries observers in Philippine flagged fishing vessels engaged in commercial fishing in Philippine waters or distant water fishing to ensure compliance with conservation and management measures adopted by RFMOS and by the Department;

(t) implement boarding and inspection protocols upon Philippine flagged fishing vessels in order to promote observance to international treaty obligations on food safety, to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and to comply with conservation and management measures;

(u) adopt an appropriate monitoring, control, surveillance and traceability system for municipal fishing vessels supplying exporters with concurrence of the local government units;

(v) adopt and implement a national plan of action to manage fishing capacity, implement the international code of conduct for responsible fisheries, and declare fishery management areas as over-exploited in coordination with the LGUs and FARMCs;

(w) require performance bonds and impose and collect reasonable fees and charges for laboratory services, inspection, deployment of fisheries observers, and catch documentation and validation, taking into account the balance required between recovering the costs of services rendered and the socioeconomic impact of their imposition, upon prior consultation with stakeholders;

(x) hear and decide administrative cases before it;

(y) determine the appropriate levels of administrative and other sanctions, particularly for serious violations, that deprive offenders of economic benefits from their violations of the laws, rules and regulations;

(z) initiate the criminal prosecution of offenses committed in violation of this Code regardless of their situs; and

(aa) perform such other related functions which shall promote the development, conservation, management, protection and utilization of fisheries and aquatic resources.”