DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

FISHERIES ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 88

REGULATIONS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF TURTLE, TURTLE EGGS AND TURTLE SHELLS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 and 7 of Act No. 4003, as amended and Section 4(h) of R. A.3512, for the conservation of Turtles, Turtle Eggs and Turtle Shells in the Philippine water, the following rules and regulations are hereby promulgated:

SEC. 1. Definition.---For the purpose of this Administrative Order, the following terms used herein shall be construed as follows:

(a) Marine turtles shall include these which belong to the species Chelonia Japonica or mydas, Eretmochalys imbricate, Carreta olivacea and Dormochelys coriacea.

(b) Turtle eggs shall include eggs of turtle belonging to the species of turtles enumerated under Section 1 (a) above.

(c) Turtle shells shall include shells of turtle of the species mentioned under Section 1 (a).

SEC. 2. Prohibition.--- It shall be unlawful for any person, association or corporation to catch or kill marine turtles or gather turtle eggs or turtle shells in any place in the Philippines, more particularly in the Turtle Islands for a period of five (5) years from the approval of this Order.

SEC. 3. Exemptions.--- (a) For scientific, educational or propagation purposes, any person , association, institution or corporation of good repute may be granted by the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, free of charge, a permit to gather or kill of cause to be gathered or killed in any manner turtles,turtle eggs, or turtle shells during the prohibited period, subject to such conditions as the Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources may deem wise to impose for the proper conservation and protection of these species. Any person who shall catch or kill turtles, or gather their eggs or shells under such permit, but uses same for purposes other than those mentioned herein above, shall be subject to the same penalties as of no license had been granted.

SEC. 4. Penalty.---A person, association or corporation who shall violate any of the provisions of this Administrative Order shall be liable to prosecution and upon conviction, shall suffer the penalty provided in Section 83 of Act No. 4003, as amended, which is a fine of not more than two hundred pesos , or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both, in the discretion of the court.

SEC. 5. Repealing provisions. --- All orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Administrative Order are hereby repealed.

SEC. 6.Date of effectivity .--- This Administrative Order shall take effect sixty days after its publication in the Official Gazette.(February 9, 1968).

FERNANDO LOPEZ
Secretary of Agriculture
and Natural Resources