MANILA – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is pinning the blame on climate change for the seasonal dwindling of supply of the staple fish galunggong, or round scad in the country.
“Unang una, climate change. ‘Pag umuulan, may bagyo, habagat, even if it’s peak season … talagang magkukulang ang paroduksyon,” Fisheries and Aquatic Reosurces director Eduardo Gongona said in an interview with GMA News.
The Philippines is importing 17,000 metric tons of galunggong from China, Taiwan, and Thailand as production decrease decreased anew.
“Nasa peak season dapat tayo from March to September … Tignan mo, maraming ulan tapos may bagyo at may habagat so nagkulang ‘yung supply,” said Gongona.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed the output of round scad fell by 9.56 percent in the first semester of the year, bringing the total fisheries output down 2.14 percent.
“Tapos ngayon papunta na tayo sa lean months, so dapat i-assure natin na meron tayong steady supply ng isda, ng galunggong. So ang immediate solution is to import,” Gongona noted.
“Ngayon lean season na, magsisimula na ‘yung ber months papunta ng February. Magpapatupad na tayo ng mga off fishing season in different parts of the country,” he said.
The government is scheduled to import the additional supply of round scad for 90 days starting on Sept. 1, 2018. (GMA News)
