There is an adequate supply of Indian sardines, locally called tamban, in the country, said fishers' group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), refuting reported tamban shortage in Philippine markets.

“Mismong datos na ng Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ang nagpapakitang walang kakapusan sa isdang tamban. Kaya walang dahilan para magtaas presyo ang mga sardinas sa pamilihan (Data from BFAR itself shows that there is no shortage of tamban. There is no reason for the price of tamban to increase in the market),” said the fishers' group in a press statement on Tuesday, Sept. 6.
BFAR Spokesperson Nazario Briguera, in a televised interview over DZBB on Monday, Sept. 5, likewise clarified that there is no shortage of tamban supply in the country.
Briguera, however, stated that the recent weather disturbance may have affected the fishing activities of several fishermen, resulting in a fewer number of the said fish in the market.
The fishers group, on the other hand, believes that the “fabricated” tamban shortage is being used by big fishing firms and operators to push for their vessels to enter municipal waters.
“The municipal waters should remain as it is — exclusive to small fisherfolk. Operators of commercial fishing vessels should not take advantage of this alleged tamban shortage to push for their legal entry in the municipal fishing zone,” said Pamalakaya National Chairperson Fernando Hicap.