The Department of Agriculture approved the importation of 35,000 metric tons of frozen fish to avoid price increases amid the effect of closed fishing season in some parts of the country in the fourth quarter.

"This volume has been studied based on historical data. Every year, we implement a closed fishing season and in times that we implement a closed fishing season, we import fish to fill in the gaps, especially our small pelagic fish," Nazario Briguera, spokesperson of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a radio interview on Thursday.

"This is just the right volume based on our need while we implement our closed fishing season," he added.

Briguera said the imports will augment the supply of fish due to the closed fishing season that will be implemented from October to December this year.

"This is just an augmentation in our supply. Of course, we also have fish from aquaculture, but we have a supply gap when we implement a closed fishing season," he said.

To be imported are round scad, bigeye scad, mackerel, bonito and moonfish that will be provided for the wet markets.

"It is for the wet markets, not for industrial users. It should directly go to the wet market. The Department of Agriculture issued a guideline that only the commercial operators affected by the closed fishing season will be allowed as well as the fisherfolk association affected by the closed fishing season," he said.

Based on the latest price monitoring of the Department of Agriculture, local round scad (galunggong) costs from 220 to 280 pesos per kilo, while the imported round scad cost around 200 pesos per kilo while Indian mackerel (alumahan) cost around 300 to 320 pesos per kilo. Robina Asido/DMS