The Philippines epartment of Agriculture (DA) should shorten the fishing ban enforced in many parts of the country to prevent the need to import fish, Sen. Cynthia Villar said yesterday.
Villar, who chairs the Senate committee on agriculture and food, issued the statement during the panel’s hearing on bills seeking to create 11 new fish hatcheries in various parts of the country that are supposed to be put up by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
She expressed dismay that the BFAR, which is under the DA, has failed to put up a single hatchery out of the 37 mandated hatcheries funded by Congress since 2016.
She voiced fears that the same fate would meet the 11 additional hatcheries proposed in the Senate even if they would be approved.
Villar said various fishing organizations and stakeholders met and agreed to press the DA to hold off its plan to import 60,000 metric tons of galunggong (round scad) or at least greatly reduce its volume.
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https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/01/25/2156118/villar-da-shorten-fishing-ban-prevent-imports