Cebu fishers blame heat for small catches, rising seafood prices

Seafood prices are going up in Cebu due to smaller catches by fishermen there - and they are blaming the hot weather for it.

 

Fishermen in Cordova town said they are catching fewer fish, shrimp and shellfish, GMA Cebu's Vic Serna reported Friday.

 

The local fishermen said they are having a hard time catching two kilos of fish in four hours at sea.

 

"Ito lang ang huli dahil ang init," said fisherman Jefferson Indoc.

 

Fisherman Maximo Brigoli said they used to get up to five kilos of shellfish in the same period last December.

 

To cope with this, the fishermen said they have no choice but to increase the prices of their products.

 

Lapu-lapu now costs P350 a kilo, while talangka now costs P200 a kilo. Shrimp costs P250 per kilo.

 

Fishermen said prices could continue to go up if their catch remains small.

 

"Ang mabuti lang sa tag-init, tumataas ang presyo nito," said fisherman Mael Virallo. — Joel Locsin/JDS, GMA News