The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has assured unhampered delivery of fish supply in the National Capital Region (NCR) and nearby provinces while the government implements stricter lockdown measures amid COVID-19 delta variant spread.
In a statement, BFAR assured its fisheries clients, particularly fish producers and consumers, that there will be enough supply of fish following the declaration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to put NCR under Enhanced Community Quarantine and other areas under Modified Enhance Community Quarantine from August 6 to August 20, 2021.
Following Agriculture Secretary William Dar’s pronouncement on the DA’s guidelines regarding the facilitation of the transport and delivery of food and agri-fishery commodities, the BFAR has directed its workforce to streamline the issuance of food passes, and make the process more efficient and accessible to fish producers and suppliers.
BFAR will likewise issue additional to those without food passes yet through one of its technical divisions, the Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Division.
For owners of food passes or IATF IDs previously issued by the DA, the DA guidelines indicated that these are valid and can still be used to transport food and agri-fishery commodities to markets in the NCR and other areas.
DA has also reminded those who are transporting agri-fisheries products to always bring their food pass or IATF ID.
Meanwhile, BFAR is mobilizing its fishery law enforcers on the ground with a directive to coordinate with other concerned government agencies in ensuring the smooth implementation of food passes.