The Office of the Ombudsman is investigating why the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is only now enforcing the ban on the sale in markets of imported fish, such as pampano and salmon, without certification.
BFAR announced last week that selling pink salmon and imported pampano in markets and supermarkets would be prohibited starting December 4 in accordance with Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195.
It is said that the fish are considered illegal because they do not have a certificate of necessity to import them.
But the Ombudsman wants to know why the order is being implemented only now when the order was signed in 1999.
According to Nazario Briguera, chief of the information and fishermen coordination unit at BFAR, they will contact the Ombudsman regarding the investigation.
Briguera clarified that the order has been enforced for a long time and will only be stricter now because of the increasing number of complaints from local fishermen about imported fish.
“Masyado na saturated ang market ng imported. Kailangan i-regulate ang mga ganito. Nakakasama sa kabuhayan ng mangingisda,” said Briguera.
According to Westly Rosario, chairman of fisheries at the Professional Regulation Commission, Filipinos will still be able to buy pampano if the government focuses on local aquaculture.
The breeding of local pampano has already started in some towns in Pangasinan.
But salmon can’t really be bred in the Philippines because it only lives in temperate regions or cold countries.
Ombudsman probes implementation of pampano, salmon ban
According to the fish vendors, compared to large and private markets, they sell pampano and salmon at a lower price. It is affordable and fits in the pockets of Filipinos.
They added that they hope to recover only this holiday season.
They request that, if possible, let the year ends before it is completely banned.
The aforementioned fish will only be allowed to be sold until December 4 and after that the BFAR will begin confiscation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture is investigating the continued increase in the price of red onions.
It has reached P280 to P300 in other markets in Metro Manila.
The government has not yet considered importing red onions, said Agriculture Spokesperson Kristine Evangelista.
Apart from onion, it is also said that the price of eggs may increase due to the lack of supply due to the bird flu.
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