MANILA, Philippines — An escalating dispute over the country’s municipal waters has drawn criticism from marine conservation group Oceana, which accused the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of favoring commercial fishing interests at the expense of millions of small-scale fishers. In a press release issued Monday, Oceana said the agency’s interpretation of a controversial Supreme Court ruling involving Mercidar Fishing Corp. risks opening nearshore waters—long reserved for artisanal fishers—to large commercial fleets. “Instead of fighting for the rights of 2.2 million municipal fisherfolk as mandated by law and the Constitution, the BFAR is interpreting the Supreme Court First […]... Keep on reading: BFAR accused of favoring commercial fleets amid fisheries dispute