MANILA – The “relentless” implementation of anti-illegal fishing laws and inclement weather resulted to low supply of galunggong, forcing authorities to import, an official said.
Under current laws, only small boats are allowed to fish 15 kilometers from the shore but these aren’t enough to catch all available supply compared to commercial fishing vessels, said Agriculture undersecretary Eduardo Gongona, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Commercial fishing vessels should be allowed to fish in municipal waters, which falls under the jurisdiction of local government units, he said.
“Ang kailangan lang ngayon, para hindi tayo mag-import, mag-usap ‘yung municipal fishing at commercial fishing, para makapasok ang commercial fishing sa municipal water mahuli ang mga galunggong doon,” Gongona said.
Highly migratory galunggong can move to international waters where fishing vessels of other countries are positioned, he said.
Importation of galunggong is only a temporary measure with only 17,000 metric tons allowed to be brought in, Gongona said.
Authorities are checking imported fish for contamination upon arrival to ensure the health of consumers, he said. (ABS-CBN News)
