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MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has approved the importation of 250,000 metric tons (MT) of fish, which will begin in August, to plug the shortfall in local stocks and ensure that prices of the commodity remain stable throughout the year.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Department Circular (DC) 12 that outlined the guidelines for the importation of fish products as stipulated under certificate of necessity that he earlier issued.
The importation was recommended by the consultative body National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC), which has representatives from various fishing and aquaculture sectors, earlier this year.
The NFARMC recommended the maximum importable volume of 250,000 MT based on the country’s supply and demand outlook for fish and fisheries products this year.
“To ensure national food security and to have a steady supply of affordable fish and fishery/aquatic products, taking into consideration public welfare, the importation of 250,000 MT of fish and fishery/aquatic products is hereby certified as necessary,” Tiu Laurel said in the certificate of necessity (CNI) he issued last March 6.
Under existing rules and regulations, the agriculture secretary in consultation with NFARMC must issue a CNI before any fish importation meant for direct consumption is allowed.
Under the guidelines, 10,000 MT of the approved volume will be reserved for importation for the government’s distribution through its Kadiwa program.
The remaining volume will be distributed at a ratio of 80 percent for importers belonging to the commercial sector and 20 percent for associations and cooperatives.
The DA, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), will begin issuing sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPSIC) for the fish importation program on Aug. 1.
The SPSIC is a document that certifies that a commodity is safe for human consumption and does not pose any harm to animal and plant health. It is a required document for all imported agricultural products.
The issued SPSICs will be valid for two months from the date of their issuance and the covered fish products must comply with the indicated “must ship out by” date in the document.
The approved fish products to be imported under the issued CNI are the following: crab, lobsters, prawn, shrimp, clams, mussel, octopus, oyster, scallops, sea urchin and squid.
The DA also allowed the importation of alaskan pollock, anchovies, amberjack, barramundi, bigeye, capelin, cobia, cod, channel rockfish, croaker, dolphin fish, eel, emperor, flounder, fusilier, goldbanded, gourami, grouper, gunard, haddock and hairtail.
Licensed importers may also bring in hake, halibut, hoki, largesnout goby, mackerel, marlin, moonfish, mullet, nile perch, oil fish, orange roughy, plaice, pomfrets, pony fish, rabbifish, red bream/alfonsino, sable fish and snapper.
Other fish products included are salmon, sardines, scad, sea bass, sea bream, sillago, smelt, sweetlips, swordfish, threadfin bream, toothfish, trevally, trout, tuna, turbot, whiting, yellowfin sole and mixed species.
DC 12 outlined the specific species of each fisheries product that can be imported into the country.
The country has been allowing the importation of fish for direct consumption, especially during closed fishing seasons, to boost domestic stocks and ensure that prices of the commodity in the market would not spike.
