The importation of tilapia (St Peter’s fish) and galunggong (round clad) to address the projected shortfall of fish supply by yearend will do “more harm than good,” a local fisherfolk group said.

Pamalakaya made this warning following the proposal by the Department of Agriculture (DA)to import 400,000 metric tons of these staple fishing products in anticipation of a supply shortage.

“When will the DA ever learn that resorting to importation every time there is a fish shortage will never address this yearly cycle of a fisheries crisis,” Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said.

Hicap said they are opposing fish importation from abroad as it “puts the local fishers at a disadvantage.”

Imported fish and marine products, the group cited, “outcompetes and further pulls down farmgate prices of fresh and locally-caught fish.”

At present, farmgate prices of galunggong and tilapia are pegged at P60-P70 and P30-P40 per kilogram, respectively.

Based on the DA’s latest supply outlook, the supply of galunggong will reach 53,925 MT against the demand of 105,690 MT or a deficit of 51,765 MT by year end. For tilapia, the country’s supply is at 102,624 MT, while the demand is at 114,660 MT.

This means the Philippines will have a deficit of 42 days’ worth of fish supply at the end of 2020.

Pamalakaya said the government must make fishing areas accessible to local fishermen so they can catch more fish and meet the domestic demand.

”There are plenty of fish in the Philippine seas, why not make them more accessible and affordable to poor consumers instead of importing deficient varieties?” Hicap asked.

“While we recognize that there may be an actual shortage in fisheries production brought about by the pandemic, the common-sense solution is to fortify government intervention and adequately support the local production,” he said.

The group also urged the government to strengthen local food producers and end reliance on imports to boost the country’s food self-suffiency.