Section 18. The Regional Assembly shall enact on Aquatic and Fisheries Code which shall enhance, develop, conserve and protect marine and aquatic resources, and shall protect the rights of subsistence fishermen to the preferential use of communal marine and fishing resources, including seaweeds. This protection shall extend to offshore fishing grounds, up to and including all waters twelve (12) nautical miles from the coastline of the Autonomous Region but within the territorial waters of the Philippines, regardless of depth, the seabed and the subsoil that are included between two (2) lines drawn perpendicular to the general coastline from points where the boundary lines of the Autonomous Region touch the sea at low tide and a third line parallel to the general coastline.

Further, it shall provide support to subsistence fishermen through appropriate technology and research, adequate financial, production and marketing assistance and other services.

Fishworkers shall also receive a just share from their labor in the utilization of marine and fishing resources.

Science, technology and other disciplines shall be developed and employed to protect and maintain aquatic and marine ecology.