The Department of Agriculture (DA) has suspended the issuance of importation clearance for tuna, pompano, and other fish used by institutional buyers of food as processors and canners as well as hotels and restaurants.

In the DA administrative circular no. 11 series of 2022 dated Dec. 13, DA also ordered the suspension of importation of round scad, bonito, mackerel, and moonfish stipulated under Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) no. 195 “to prevent diversion to wet markets.”

However, DA said that exempted from this order are those processors and importers who supply raw materials to processors with the license to operate (LTO) issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administrator (FDA) and compliant with the food safety standards.

“For importers supplying raw materials to processors, the species and volume of the products to be imported and the receiving processors must be pre-identified in the application of the SPSIC and should not be allowed to be supplied to any other processor,” the order read.

“For importation destined for new processors, the same shall be allowed only upon verification by BFAR of the production capacity of the new processor which shall maintain a verifiable recording system for all its importation,” it added.

The order is effective immediately.

Earlier, DA approved the importation of 25,000 metric tons of frozen round scad, bigeye scad, mackerel, bonito, and moonfish amid closed fishing season from Nov. until Jan. 31, 2023.