The Philippines will allow the entry of 250,000 metric tons (MT) fish imports during the closed fishing season in the fourth quarter as domestic supply and retail prices remain steady, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA will start issuing import clearances covering 250,000 MT of fish shipments around October, deviating from the initial August 1 timeline.
‘The imports will only be triggered, when necessary,’ he told reporters on Wednesday, adding that prices of fish products remained stable.
Last March, the DA authorized the importation of 250,000 MT of fish to ensure a steady supply of affordable fish and other marine products this year.
The volume was recommended by the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council’s (NFARMC) last February.
Under a previous DA circular, the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSICs) was scheduled to begin on August 1, covering over 50 species.
‘The fishing season has been extended due to El Niño and there’s currently ample supply of milkfish and tilapia, so the imports will likely be triggered during the closed fishing season sometime in October or November,’ the DA chief said.
The government imposes a three-month closed fishing season in waters northeast of Palawan starting November 1 and in the Visayan Seas and Zamboanga Peninsula beginning November 15. All three areas are spawning grounds for small pelagic fishes like sardines and mackerel.
The DA chief said that the agency is looking at additional areas where closed fishing seasons could be implemented, such as in Northwest Mindanao.
He added that the implementation could begin in 2027, pending scientific basis for such an issuance.
The DA said recently that it earmarked P600 million for the construction of the country’s first mega hatcheries which will help the Philippines reduce its reliance on imported fry.
The DA chief had confirmed to the BusinessMirror that his agency is allotting P200 million each for three mega hatcheries under the National Expenditure Program (NEP) 2027.
Once built, he said the mega hatcheries could produce a billion fry (young fish) of milkfish and other aquaculture and mariculture species.
The DA will construct one mega hatchery in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, each spanning 40 hectares, which will be completed by the end of 2027.