The government is requiring traders to pay a service fee of P500 for every metric ton (MT) of fish they will import under the government’s small pelagic fish importation program, based on the supplemental guidelines issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
This means that the government will earn as much as P30 million under the program, which allows eligible and accredited traders to bring in 60,000 MT of fish to beef up domestic supply.
The DA has also required importers to ship their allocated volume from the country of origin within 20 days after receiving the sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance (SPS-IC) for their shipments.
Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar issued Administrative Order (AO) 24 which outlined the supplemental guidelines for the small pelagic fish importation program he approved last month.
The additional rules, Dar said, were issued “to provide for a clear and efficient implementation” of the fish importation program, which allows the sale of imported fish in local wet markets.
The agriculture chief said the import volume would be auctioned off among registered traders.
“Qualified importers who are interested to participate in the auction shall pay [a] five hundred pesos (P500) service fee for every MT of volume awarded,” Dar said in AO 24 dated September 9.
“The imported small pelagic fish must be shipped-out from the port of origin within 20 days from the receipt of SPS-ICs by the importer. As proof thereof, the importer shall submit a bill of lading to DA-BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources].”
Dar has also ordered the resumption of registration of fish importers for wet markets. However, they will only be allowed to register within five working days from the issuance of AO 24 or until September 15.
The newly registered fish importers will be qualified to participate in the program.
“Only importers compliant with the qualifications and requirements under FAO [Fisheries Administrative Order] 259 shall be registered,” he said.
AO 24 also indicated the small pelagic fish species that traders could import—round scads (galunggong), big-eye scads (matambaka/salay-salay), mackerels (alumahan/hasa-hasa/tangigue/tulingan), sardines (tamban/lapad/tunsoy/manamsi), round herrings (tulis/dilis bahura/tamban), and anchovies (dilis/bulinaw).
AO 24 will remain in force until the arrival of the last shipment under the importation program.Earlier, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Board of the Philippines (FAB) urged the government to liberalize the fisheries industry and allow the entry of more imported fish products to help the Philippines achieve food security.
The group argued that the long-term solution to the country’s fish supply woes is to “open up” the fisheries sector.
Last month, Dar greenlighted the purchase of 60,000 MT of imported small pelagic fishes, such as galunggong, to augment the country’s supply prior to the closed fishing season.