‘Closed fishing season’ lifted in northeastern Palawan –BFAR

The “closed fishing season” in northeastern Palawan has been lifted after three months, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.

In an advisory, the BFAR said the closed fishing season in northeastern Palawan has been lifted on Tuesday, February 1.

“The closed fishing season in northeastern Palawan, which prohibited the use of purse seine, ringnet and bagnet in catching roundscad (galunggong) within the conservation area, has been lifted yesterday, February 1, 2022,” the agency said.

In a joint initiative of the government, fisheries sector, and other stakeholders signed last 2015, which was closing the fishing season in the northeast of Palawan from November to January every year.

“The closed fishing season was initiated to protect and replenish the population of the Decapterus species, also known as galunggong, during its peak spawning season and regulate the use of purse seine, ringnet and bagnet in catching the galunggong within the conservation area northeast of Palawan from November to January every year,” the BFAR said.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar earlier announced that he had approved the importation of 60,000 metric tons (MT) of fish for the first quarter of 2022 to augment local production amid a projected deficiency.

Dar said he approved the importation of small pelagic fishes—such as round scad or galunggong—due to the BFAR’s projection of a potential supply deficiency of 119,000 MT due to the closed fishing season.

He added that Typhoon Odette severely affected the fishing sector and “we cannot say [whether the] fishing sector will be normal.”—Richa Noriega/AOL, GMA News