Agriculture Secretary Francisco  Tiu Laurel, Jr., inspected several container vans loaded with frozen mackerel illegally imported from China on Wednesday at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). 

Laurel witnessed the opening of  three out of the 21 container vans of frozen mackerel that arrived at the  MICP earlier this month.

In a statement, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said that Pacific Sealand Foods Corp., the importer of the frozen fish, failed to produce a sanitary and phytosanitary import clearance when the shipment of an estimated 567 MT of mackerel was unloaded.

The agri chief estimated the frozen mackerel shipment to be worth P178.5 million.
 
“We issued the order earlier this year for the importation of fish to cover requirements for the closed season. This was done to monitor market supply and ensure imports won’t affect the income of the local fishing industry when the closed season ends,” Laurel added.

The three-month closed fishing season, which lowers the fish supply, starts 1 November in the northeast of Palawan and from 15 November in the Visayan Seas and Zamboanga Peninsula, which are all spawning areas for small pelagic fishes like sardines and mackerel.  

Laurel last April allowed the importation of 30,000 MT of pelagic fish species in the last quarter of 2024 to augment supply during the closed fishing season. The imports must arrive in the country before 15 January 2024. Meanwhile, imports to arrive months before the closed fishing season starts will only be allowed for market release from 1 October.

Under the order, the DA said 80 percent of the imports would be allocated to registered importers from the commercial fishing sector. At the same time, the balance would go to fishing associations and cooperatives.  

"A minimum import volume of 112 MT, equivalent to four containers, will be allocated to commercial importers, while the minimum import volume for fisheries associations and cooperatives will be 56 metric tons, or two containers. Additional import volume will be determined based on an importer’s percentage share of fish landings in the last three years prior to the importation," the agency added.

The Department reminded the importers to ensure that the fish supplies they import are sourced from reputable sources and do not stem from illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.