By Erwin Beleo SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – About 200 kilos of assorted fish from Pangasinan were confiscated at the Wet Market Auxiliary of this city and was returned from its destination because they are allegedly tainted with toxic chemical formalin which was ordered by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources based here Friday afternoon. CONFISCATED FISH – Joseph Hufana, city fisheries inspector, inspects frozen fish imported from Pangasinan confiscated due to allegedly tainted with toxic chemical formalin which it was banned by the BFAR-RO1 at the city wet market in San Fernando City, La Union Friday afternoon (Aug. 24, 2018). (Erwin Beleo / MANILA BULLETIN) According to Florycel Obeña, officer-in-charge of the city agriculture, said “all local frozen fish are temporarily banned for now due to the order from BFAR-RO1,” “Included in the ban are all classified like ‘galunggong’ or round scad fish, shrimp, squid, crabs, and others that are from Urdaneta, Dagupan and Bonuan, Pangasinan,” she said. The directive reemphasizes the need for BFAR to exert all effort to eradicate all forms of illegal fishing. This stated in number two, “Relentless operation and relevant activities on second border inspection to avoid proliferation of frozen fish in the wet market”. Mea Baldonado, officer-in-charge of fisheries inspection quarantine service of BFAR-RO1, who instructed fishery coordinator of this city to ban all necessary frozen fish. A fishery vendor who doesn’t want to be identified said in an interview, they were selling frozen fish products for many years and no one prohibited or a customer filed a complaint.