Rationale: The vastness of the Philippine maritime zone and its rich resources dictate that we should have a marine-based economy. Our aquatic territory exceeding 220 million hectares is more than seven (7) times our land territory which is only 30million hectares. Being on archipelago of more than seven thousand islands, the Philippines should have been the center of the fishing industry in Asia, if not of the world.> This bill seeks to attune the policy of the State to our nature as an archipelago be encouraging our people to invest in fisheries. It will provide support to the fishery sector by requiring the appointment of a fisheries officer in all first class coastal municipalities and in all coastal cities and provinces.