The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar) said over the weekend that it is planning to implement a closed season for round scad, or galunggong, in northern Palawan before the end of the year.
Agriculture Undersecretary and Bfar Director Asis Perez said the temporary ban on galunggong fishing will be carried out after the government completes a study on its effect on fish spawning and economic activity in Palawan.
“We are thankful to have generated enough support from the industry to undertake the temporary fishing ban in Palawan,” Perez said in a statement.
The Bfar, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), resorts to implementing a closed season for some fish species to improve its population. The agency had earlier implemented a temporary ban on sardine fishing in Mindanao.
The decline in round scad catch in the first quarter was tagged as one of the biggest factors behind the anemic performance of the fisheries subsector during the period.
According to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the catch of round scad or galunggong fell by 19.45 percent year-on-year. Skipjack catch also declined by 7.03 percent during the period.
The Bfar said it will “vigorously” assist the expansion of farms for vannamei or white-leg shrimp, eel and seaweeds to boost the output of the aquaculture sector.
Of all the subsectors, only fisheries posted a decline in output in the first quarter of the year. Farm growth in the first three months of 2015 hit 1.78 percent, faster than the 0.66 percent recorded in the same period last year.
Farm-output growth in the first quarter was boosted by the crops subsector, which expanded by 1.65 percent. The subsector accounted for 54.3 percent of total agricultural production.
“Palay production at 4.37 million metric tons [MMT] was 1.41 percent higher than last year’s record. This was brought about by notable increases in production in Mimaropa, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Ilocos region,” the PSA said.
Further boosting palay output during the period, the PSA said, is the use of hybrid and certified seeds. Palay output accounts for about 15 percent of farm production.
Meanwhile, corn production expanded by nearly 4 percent to 2.37 MMT in January to March. Output increases were recorded in Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, and Northern Mindanao.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said he recognizes the need to sustain growth momentum amid the dry spell caused by the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Alcala said he is banking on initiatives, such as the six-year Philippine Rural Development Project to help prop up farm output.