The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Friday announced that it will stop the ban on selling pompano and pink salmon fish in wet markets.
In a press conference, BFAR officer-in-charge Demosthenes Escoto said the lifting of the ban was in consideration of the calls of fishery stakeholders and lawmakers to review the regulation.
“BFAR is declaring a moratorium on its operation in wet markets with regard to the presence of diverted imported pink salmon, pompano, and other imported frozen fish products,” Escoto said.
The order shall be effective immediately, he added.
Earlier, BFAR released Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 195 which stated that importation of frozen fish like pompano and pink salmon would be delivered to institutional buyers like restaurants and hotels only.
On Thursday, Nov. 29, Senator Raffy Tulfo called the banning of selling salmon and pampano “anti-poor” and “discrimination” against small vendors.
“Ang mayayaman na restaurant at hotel, nakalusot sa pag-import ng isda pero ang mga maliliit na tindera sa palengke, hindi pwede. Bakit? This is a clear violation of equal protection. Malinaw na malinaw na discrimination ito laban sa maliliit na tindera sa merkado,” Tulfo earlier stressed.
Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe urged BFAR officials to review, amend, or repeal the FAO 195.
“Pwede naman ‘yan ‘diba? Hindi naman ‘yan batas na kailangan dumaan samin ‘diba?” she added.
