THE Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved the additional importation of small pelagic fish like galunggong following the string of destructive storms that hit the country.
The agency will allow the imports of 8,280 metric tons of fish for retail in wet markets now that the country’s closed fishing season has commenced.
The DA said the additional imports were needed after production dropped following the typhoons that hit the country from mid-October to November.
“Marami ‘yung naging kabawasan sa production natin ng isda. Maraming tumigil maglayag during nung bagyo,” said Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa, spokesperson of the department.
The DA said the additional imports are expected to temper the retail prices of fish, which have recently gone up.
The closed fishing season has also started in some parts of the country, which will last until February to mid-March. During this period, commercial fishers are not allowed to fish to allow fish to repopulate.
The sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance for the additional fish import volume will be issued until December 16, and fish imported during these SPSICs must arrive in the country on January 30 next year.
A portion of the imports will go to Kadiwa stores to help indigent Filipinos get an affordable source of protein. (ABS-CBN News)
