DA assures stable supply of fish amid typhoons

ENOUGH FISH SUPPLY. The Department of Agriculture said the country has enough fish despite the series of typhoons that ravaged parts of the country. Fish inventory is projected at 87,539 metric tons, which means there is substantial availability of supply within 10 days. (DA Communications Group photo via PNA)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) has assured stable supply of fish until year end despite the series of typhoons that hit the fisheries sector.

DA Undersecretary for Agri-Industrialization and for Fisheries Cheryl Caballero, in a virtual presser on Tuesday, said fish inventory is projected at 87,539 metric tons (MT), which means there is substantial availability of supply within 10 days.

For 2020, she said fish supply was estimated at 3.42 million MT, against demand of 3.33 million MT.

In a message on Wednesday, DA spokesperson Noel Reyes said the calamity has incurred 4,552.26 MT of losses in the fisheries sector.

According to the infographic presented during the virtual presser, the overall supply of fish still totals to 3,420,232 MT. Of this figure, 2,946,165 MT belonged to the local supply.

It said the BFAR interventions have saved some 75,178 MT, while importation has accounted for 403,259 MT.

Lagonoy Gulf Integrated Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (IFARMC) Chair Arnel Boholst, in a Food Security Forum organized by agriculture advocate Tugon Kabuhayan, said what they need is replacement and/or repair of their fishing boats destroyed by recent typhoons and not additional boats.

Lagonoy Gulf is considered a major fishing ground in the Philippines especially for tuna. Around 2,000 fishing boats in the area were damaged during the past typhoons.

Asis Perez, convenor of Tugon Kabuhayan, said the government must act now to be able to help affected fishermen get back on their feet and start fishing.

“The help must reach the fishermen as soon as possible,” he said.

Asis also said that their group has collected more than PHP956,000 which they will use in buying materials for the repair of fishing boats for the affected fisherfolk.

An initial of 456 boats are expected to be repaired with the fund.

Meanwhile, Reyes explained the need for the country to request for the importation of goods despite being archipelagic.

“It is a matter of conservation. We have to do sustainability measures during the spawning season. This is the time we allot for the fish to lay eggs and for them to grow,” he said.

The BFAR earlier ordered a three-month closed fishing season in the Visayan Sea from December until February. The ban will limit the catching of sardines, herring, and mackerel to allow their populations to regenerate.

Data provided by the DA showed that the average length of caught sardine increased by 1.9 centimeters, the highest recorded since 2016.

It also showed a consistent increase in the monitored landed catch of sardines. In 2014, a total of 141,158.79 MT was recorded, in 2015 it grew to 148,718 MT.

“Kung maiingatan ang karagatan ay mas malalaking klase at mahal na isda ang mahuhuli (If we take care of the sea, we can catch bigger and more expensive kind of fish),” she said.