Fisheries industry players on Monday remained firm that the government’s additional 60,000 metric ton (MT) importation of small pelagic fishes is unnecessary since the country has sufficient supply.
Three members of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) revealed that the 13 industry representatives at the advisory body were all unanimous in rejecting the proposal of the Department of Agriculture (DA) to allow another round of importation for first quarter consumption.
The members noted that the two remaining members of the NFARMC, who are all from the government, supported the proposal to import 60,000 MT of small pelagic fishes.
“Our decision was unanimous among the representatives from the fisheries industry except for the two members from the government,” said David B. Villaruz, chairman of the Philippine Association of Fish Producers Inc. and holds a seat at the NFARMC, during a virtual news briefing on Monday.
The NFARMC is comprised of the following: an Agriculture Undersecretary, an Interior and Local Government Undersecretary, five members from the fisherfolk sector, five members from the commercial, aquaculture and fish processing sector, two experts from the academe and one from a nongovernment organization (NGO) involved in fisheries.
Dennis F. Calvan of the Pangingisda Natin Gawing Tama (Panagat Network), who holds the NGO spot at the NFARMC, disclosed that they are now hoping that lawmakers will conduct a hearing to investigate the approval of the 60,000 MT despite the recommendation by industry players to not push through with it.
“We support the plan of Senator Imee Marcos to conduct a hearing regarding this importation. We support this plan in order to have a clearer picture about the issue and in order to monitor this fish importation,” Calvan said during the briefing.
In an earlier statement, Marcos said she would file a resolution this week to investigate the approval of the 60,000 MT small pelagic fishes importation by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
One of the sticking points during the NFARMC’s deliberation last January 13 on the proposal to import more small pelagic fish was the veracity of the data presented by government officials in coming up with the “potential” shortage this first quarter.
“During our deliberations, what we were questioning really was the data. Where did it come from? How did they come up with such data? Is it transparent? Is it science based?” Villaruz said.
“And this was not explained clearly to us. Based on our appreciation, there’s no need to import more based on existing data they presented to us,” Villaruz added.
Villaruz also pointed out that there is still unused volume from the importation program approved in the last quarter of last year.
Citing government data presented during the January 13 meeting, Calvan said about 45,000 MT of small pelagic fish imports from last year’s importation round are yet to be consumed. Calvan noted that about 32,000 MT of the volume are still in the cold storages.
Villaruz proposed that the government implement a benchmarking model that would serve as a basis or trigger to decide if the government must allow imports or not.
“We need such a sound data system. If we have that, then we may not even need a NFARMC meeting because everything’s clear to everyone,” he said.
Calvan said the government should implement a program that would boost domestic output when there is an anticipated shortfall in overall supply due to the closed fishing season or impacts of typhoons.
Peter Paul Santos, vice president for the National Capital Region of the Alliance of Philippines Fishing Federation Inc., said only about 10,000 MT of frozen fish could be consumed every month based on their experience at the Navotas fish landing port.
“That gives us only about 30,000 MT per month. They already issued 60,000 MT last quarter and they issued another 60,000 MT this quarter. The 60,000 MT last quarter is not yet fully consumed to date,” Santos, who also sits at the NFARMC, said.
Norberto Chingcuanco, another NFARMC member, said they hoped that the government, particularly Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, listened to the recommendation of the multi-sectoral body since they are all people from the ground.
“We were hoping that our arguments deserved an evaluation. The data presented to us was just a forecast, a production,” he said.
Last week, Dar signed the certificate of necessity to import (CNI) 60,000 MT of small pelagic fishes to plug the shortfall in the country’s fish supply in the first quarter despite the recommendation by the NFARMC.
Citing estimates made by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Dar pointed out that the country has a “potential” fish supply deficit of about 119,000 MT this first quarter.
Dar emphasized that the NFARMC is just a “recommendatory” body and pointed out that as the agriculture chief he has the responsibility to allow imports or not to ensure the country’s food security.
“The NFARMC is a body that has the ‘recommendary’ responsibility. Let me use that word: ‘recommendary’ responsibility,” he said.
“At the end of the day we take responsibility in terms of ensuring food security, in this case fish supply of small pelagic fishes,” he added.