PH to again import ‘galunggong,’ other fish

The Philippines will again import 25,000 metric tons of frozen round scad (galunggong), bigeye scad (matangbaka), mackerel (alumahan), bonito (tulingan) and moonfish (bilong-bilong) for the wet markets.

According to the order of the Department of Agriculture, the imported fish is intended to plug the shortfall during the closed domestic fishing season, which will run from November this year to January next year.

The order, signed by Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban on Thursday, “shall take effect immediately and shall remain in force unless revoked in writing.”

Commercial fishers as well as fisheries associations and cooperatives can bring in the set volume of fish.

All sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) will be issued on or before Dec. 15 this year and will be valid for 45 days from the date of issuance. No import clearance will be deemed valid after Jan. 30, 2023.

Importers are required to procure fish from a source that is not engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and complies with food safety standards.

They are also required to submit a bill of lading or pro-forma invoice before securing the clearance to import fish. Transfer of allocation is not allowed, and all issued SPSICs are nonextendable and nontransferrable. INQ