Section 25Sec./Art. 25

Registration of Fisheries Professionals Without Examination. Upon approval of the application and payment of the prescribed fees, certificate of registration and professional identification card shall be issued to the applicant for registration without examination who can prove to the satisfaction of the Board that items a, b, or c below has been met:

(a) The applicant has at least a Bachelors degree in any field of fisheries such as marine biology, oceanography/limnology, food science/technology/engineering, fish taxonomy, biotechnology as applied in fisheries, aquatic biology, fishing boat design/engineering, aquatic resource management, fish health, fish nutrition, or fish chemistry from a school, college, or university established or recognized by the Government: Provided, That the applicant has passed any of the civil service examination in fisheries, or has been granted equivalent to second level eligibility by the Civil Service Commission by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 907, or passed the Career Service Professional examination administered by the Civil Service Commission: Provided, further, That the applicant has served the fisheries industry in public or private sector for at least five (5) years before the effectivity of Republic Act No.

8550;

(b) The applicant has a Masters or Doctorate degree in fisheries or closely related fields such as marine biology, oceanography/limnology, food science/technology/engineering, fish taxonomy, biotechnology as applied in fisheries, aquatic biology, fishing boat design/engineering, aquatic resource management, fish health, fish nutrition, or fish chemistry from a school, college, or university, established or recognized by the Government: Provided, That the applicant has served the fisheries industry in public or private capacity for at least five (5) years: Provided, further, That the applicant has published at least one (1) research and technical paper in reputable journals, books and proceedings within the five (5)-year service in fisheries;

(c) The applicant is a graduate of at least a Bachelors degree in fisheries from a school, college, or university, established or recognized by the Government: Provided, That the applicant has served the fisheries industry in the private sector for a total of five (5) years: Provided, further, That an applicant can show proof of achievements, awards, commendations, or promotions of deserving performance and has published at least one (1) technical paper in fisheries.

The applicants are given one (1) year after the approval and publication of the IRR of this Act to register as fisheries professionals without examination.