An activist fishers’ group on Friday accused traders of driving up the price of galunggong (round scad) by exploiting the annual closed fishing season now in force in the Visayan Sea and other parts of the country.
Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) said the ban, intended as a conservation measure, is creating conditions that allow speculative pricing, leaving both small-scale fishers and consumers struggling with soaring market costs.
The group issued the warning as galunggong prices hit what it described as an ‘all-time high’ of P300 to P320 per kilogram, echoing concerns raised in recent weeks by local fishers in Panay and Batangas over the economic strain of the seasonal closure.
‘Ito ang laging babala ng mga mangingisda sa tuwing magkakaroon ng closed fishing season-ang epekto sa supply at pagsirit ng presyo ng isda sa palengke,’PAMALAKAYA vice chair Ronnel Arambulo said.
(This is the constant warning of fishers whenever a closed fishing season is implemented-its impact on supply and the surge in fish prices in the market.)
‘Kadalasang inaabangan ng mga trader ang closed season para itaas sa di-makatuwirang presyo ang isda, partikular ang galunggong. Kaya bukod sa epekto sa mga mangingisda, apektado rin ang mga ordinaryong mamimili,’ he added.
(Traders often wait for the closed season to raise fish prices to unreasonable levels, especially galunggong. So aside from the impact on fishers, ordinary consumers are also affected.)
‘Hunger for three months’
PAMALAKAYA earlier questioned the three-month prohibition, saying it effectively shuts down traditional municipal fishing grounds where small-scale fishers operate. The group stated that local fishers have limited recourse, as larger commercial operators can easily relocate farther offshore.
‘Karaniwang maliliit na mangingisda ang nagdudusa sa closed fishing season dahil ipinapatupad ito sa loob ng municipal waters,’ Arambulo said. ‘Samantala, ang mga commercial fishing ay makakapagpatuloy ng operasyon sa malalayong lugar dahil sa mas abante nilang kagamitan.’
(It is usually small-scale fishers who suffer during the closed fishing season because it is enforced within municipal waters. Meanwhile, commercial fishing vessels can continue operating in distant areas because of their more advanced equipment.)
‘Hindi rin sapat ang ayudang nakalaan para sa mga apektado kaya gutom ang sinasapit ng mga mangingisda at kanilang pamilya sa loob ng tatlong buwan,’ he continued.
(The assistance allotted for those affected is also insufficient, which is why fishers and their families end up going hungry during the three-month period.)
In Panay Island, the ban affects around 66,000 fisherfolk in Iloilo and 24,000 in Capiz, according to PAMALAKAYA. In Batangas, about 15,000 fisherfolk from nine coastal towns are ‘reeling’ from the separate two-month closure that began on Dec. 1.
Why the ban exists
The annual closed season in the Visayan Sea is mandated by Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 167-3, which prohibits catching, selling, or possessing mature sardines, herrings, and mackerel from November 15 to February 15 in a defined area spanning Iloilo, Capiz, Negros Occidental, and northern Iloilo waters.
The measure aims to protect spawning fish stocks-but municipal fishers insist the government has failed to pair conservation rules with adequate livelihood assistance.
Prices already surging
The group’s statement comes as the Department of Agriculture (DA) cites tight domestic and global supply as the reason for the higher prices of galunggong, which have been worsened by typhoons that disrupted fishing and delayed import arrivals.
DA monitoring earlier showed:
Local galunggong: P300-P400/kg
Imported galunggong: P280-P350/kg
Other fish prices, such as mackerel (alumahan), have also risen to P300-P450/kg, prompting Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to advise consumers this week to temporarily shift to cheaper alternatives like chicken, milkfish, or tilapia.
‘We should not expect (galunggong) prices to go down because there is no supply worldwide. I did my own research, it’s really true,’ the agriculture chief said in an interview on Wednesday.
‘It’s a supply and demand thing. If local supply is really limited, prices will definitely increase. I’m not saying it will go down. I’m just being honest about it,’ he said.
Call for support
PAMALAKAYA reiterated its appeal for the government to provide sufficient financial and food assistance to municipal fishers during the ban, warning that many families will face months of lost income.
The group also urged authorities to guard against price manipulation during the closed season, stating that speculative pricing has historically preceded importation-a move that fishers say undermines their local catch and exacerbates their economic vulnerability.