DA sets fish imports to address supply lack

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) will allow the importation of 30,000 metric tons (MT) of fish to address a supply deficit.

The amount is higher than in April when the the DA said it would allow the importation of 25,000 MT upon issuance of a Certificate of Necessity to Import, a procedural requirement based on anticipated supply needs and aligned with sufficiency projections for the year.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) spokesman Nazario Briguera said on Wednesday that the fish importation was a response to the shortfall caused by the closed fishing season in the Davao Gulf and waters off the Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula. The country’s fish sufficiency level stood at 91.6 percent as of April 2024.

The imports are expected to arrive by the fourth quarter.

Fish imports are typically done toward the end of the year based on updated projections of fish supply and demand.

In the second quarter of 2024, the country’s fisheries production was recorded at 1.02 million MT, down 6.2 percent from the 1.08 million MT a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

A decrease in production was noted in marine municipal fisheries, inland municipal fisheries and aquaculture, while commercial fisheries reported an increase in production.

In light of a recent oil spill affecting Cavite’s fishing grounds, the BFAR has maintained a fishing ban in the province to protect public health.

Briguera said laboratory tests were being conducted to ensure fish were safe for consumption. He added the bureau was actively monitoring the situation and providing updates to the public.

As of August 7, around 28,373 fishers were affected by the oil spill in Bataan with an estimated loss in income tallied at P78.69 million since the fishing ban was imposed on July 30.

Based on a DA validation, some 28,373 fishers and 5,810 boats were affected out of initial projections of 46,090 fishers and 16,586 boats.

The affected areas include the waters of the National Capital Region, Central Luzon (Region 3) and Calabarzon (Region 4A).