Rather than import, a food security advocacy group urged government to consider aquaculture produce as a viable alternative during the anticipated lower fish supply in wet markets during the coming closed fishing season.
TugonKabuhayan expressed alarm over reports citing the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as supporting traders’ proposals to allow as much as 200,000 metric tons (MT) in fish imports to be sold in wet markets from October 1, 2021 to March 1, 2022.
TugonKabuhayan said the proposal must be reconsidered citing the timeframe would coincide with the peak in the country’s fish production in the fourth quarter which could greatly affect the price of farm-raised fish produce.
“The last quarter of each year is always the peak of the country’s fish production.
Traditionally, this is the time when fish farmers harvest in anticipation of increased seafood demand during the long holiday season. Dumping imported fish into the market at this time of year is likely to hurt not only the fishing sector but the country’s aquaculture industry as well,” said Asis Perez, TugonKabuhayan’s convener, in a virtual briefing yesterday.
Perez said there are three major closed fishing seasons in the Philippines with the earliest starting at November 1 until January 31 for Northeast Palawan while parts of Visayan Sea is closed from November 15 to February 15 as the Zamboanga Peninsula closes from December 1 to March 1.
TugonKabuhayan also said if the contributions of the country’s aquaculture industry is considered in providing the fish protein supply needs of most places in the country, the amount of fish needed to be imported by the government during the closed fishing season will only be at around 100,000 MT, just half of the proposed volume of imports.
Perez said the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) must first conduct broad-based consultations with the domestic capture and aquaculture sectors before any decision to import is made, Perez said.
“We believe various fisher and fish-farmer organizations can provide better information on the whole industry’s capability to support our long-term needs. Government must ensure that real producers are not unnecessarily affected or discouraged by the prospects of more importation. It will be unfortunate if full reliance is given solely to importation rather than boosting domestic production in addressing the possible short-term effect of the closed season,” Perez added.
Last week, DA Secretary William Dar said the National Fisheries and Resources Management Group is being consulted for the BFAR’s recommended volume of fish that will be allowed to be imported and sold to wet markets during the closed fishing season.
Dar said their recommendation will be submitted by August 20.
He said NEDA has its recommended volume which he declined to provide.
The recommended volume is being strategized since the government would have to issue certificates of necessity to import (CNI) if the supply of fish to be imported is intended to be sold in wet markets.
Last year, CNI for 30,000 MT of galunggong were issued but only 26,000 MT arrived in the country.
The DA said importation is still the “last resort” and that stakeholder comments especially of aquaculture producers of bangus and tilapia will be considered.
