House Committee on Ways and Means Chairman Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda on Friday called on the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Agriculture to engage the canned fish sector over supply concerns, especially sardines, during the close of the fishing season in the Zamboanga Peninsula, which happens every year from December 1 to February 28.
“It looks like supply levels remain manageable, as the industry was able to meet the 75,000 metric tons it is required to store during the closed season. But I also expect demand for canned sardines to pick-up this year,” Salceda said. The lawmaker said he is requesting the DTI and DA to hold a dialogue with the industry and with small players and stakeholders as soon as possible so the country can prevent this potential problem from materializing.
“We also need to strengthen collaboration with alternative fish sources, such as Papua New Guinea, which is one of our biggest sources of sardines,” Salceda added.Salceda also said that the country needs to ramp up the completion of the 54 legislated hatcheries since only 3 have so far been completed.