Presidential Decree defining illegal fishing and prescribing stiffer penalties therefor (No. 534). Country/Territory Philippines Document type Regulation Date 1974 Source FAO, FAOLEX Subject Fisheries Keyword Marine fisheries Fishery management and conservation Fishing gear/fishing method Offences/penalties Fishing area Protected fishing area Protection of species Geographical area Asia, Asia and the Pacific, East Asian Seas, North Pacific, South-Eastern Asia Abstract This Presidential Decree applies to "Philippine Waters" as defined in section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person to catch, take or gather or caused to be caught, taken or gathered fish or fishery/aquatic products in Philippine waters with the use of explosives, obnoxious or poisonous substances or by the use of electricity. Provided, that the Secretary of Natural Resources may, subject to such safeguards and conditions he deems necessary, allow for research, educational or scientific purposes the use of explosives, obnoxious or poisonous substances or electricity to catch, take or gather fish or fishery/aquatic products in specified areas. Any person who knowingly possesses, deals in, sells, or in any manner disposes of, for profit, any fish, fishery-aquatic products which have been illegally caught, taken or gathered shall, upon conviction by a competent court, be punished by imprisonment from 2 to 6 years. Full text English