The ill-timed importation of fish during the coming closed fishing season threatens local production, Tugon Kabuhayan said on Monday.Instead, the government should allow local producers to import fish to augment the expected lower fish supply in wet markets during this period.Citing data, Tugon Kabuhayan said that from 2011 to 2020, the highest production is recorded in the fourth quarter of each year and the lowest output in the first quarter of every year.'We are a bit concerned kung papasok iyong imported na isda (about the importation of fish) at this period then it might affect prices so bad that it might dampen the productivity of our aquaculture sector. We are concerned about this period kasi ito iyong period na talagang tatama doon sa (because it also coincides with the) highest productivity ng (of) aquaculture,' said Tugon Kabuhayan convenor Asis Perez in a virtual briefing.'The last quarter of each year is always the peak of the country's fish production. Traditionally, this is the time when fish farmers harvest in anticipation of increased seafood demand during the long holiday season. Dumping imported fish into the market at this time of year is likely to hurt not only the fishing sector but the country's aquaculture industry as well,' said Perez, a former director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).Tugon Kabuhayan said the Philippines has three major closed seasons which overlap from December 1 to January 31 each year.The earliest starts from November 1 to January 31 each year in Northeast Palawan. Part of the Visayan Sea is closed from November 15 to February 15, while the Zamboanga Peninsula closes from December 1 to March 1.In anticipation of the fish supply shortfall, Tugon Kabuhayan co-convenor Norberto Chingcuanco said local producers should be issued the certificates of necessity to import (CNI).'And there's wisdom behind the guidance na iyong producer ang mag-import kasi ang producer (that producers should be allowed to import because) they have their investment in the commercial fishing vessel. They have their investment in their distribution network. They will not import too much that will destroy the domestic establishments. But an importer consciously and unconsciously may tend to import too much,' Chingcuanco said. 'We can be more strategic... we're saying that has to be calibrated. Because when you import, siyempre may shipping iyon at saka may storage requirement (it has shipping and storage requirements),' said Perez.Likewise, Tugon Kabuhayan recommends that the Department of Agriculture and BFAR to conduct broad-based consultation with the domestic capture and aquaculture sectors before any decision to import is made.
