The Philippine Department of Agriculture (DA) has temporarily halted the issuance of import clearance permits for several mackerel and scad species amid an investigation into alleged permit misuse.
Philippines Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. recently signed a memorandum ordering the suspension of sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances (SPSIC) for horse mackerel – including Atlantic and Japanese jack mackerel – Indian mackerel, wahoo, and torpedo, or hardtail, scad, the DA said in a statement on 16 July.
The department said the move was prompted by reports that certain importers had misdeclared or diverted shipments of fishery products. Such practices, it warned, undermine its mandate to ensure a stable fish supply, affordable prices for consumers, and fair market access for legitimate traders.
Known in the Philippines as alumahan (mackerel) and galunggong (scad), these fish are staple sources of protein for many Filipino households, according to the DA, which added that safeguarding the transparency and fairness of importation processes is crucial to protecting both consumers and local fishing communities from the harmful effects of illicit trade.
Laurel clarified that the measure does not constitute an import ban but is a temporary step to enforce regulatory compliance and uphold national interests. The order will be lifted based on the outcome of an ongoing review of importation protocols, with the aim of reinforcing integrity and accountability in the nation’s fish supply chain.
The Philippines is still actively looking to import large quantities of fish, however, as the suspension follows a move the DA made earlier this year in which it approved the importation of up to 25,000 metric tons (MT) of fish – mainly to support the foodservice, tourism, and hospitality industries. Only about one-quarter of that volume has been brought in so far, though, so the department decided to extend the program’s deadline to the end of June 2025.
“It’s more of a systemic issue than low demand,” Laurel said. “The time frames we set were too short, and many of the approved products were out of season in their countries of origin. It was also challenging for some importers to meet requirements tied to larger volume allocations.”
In terms of domestic production, the Philippines produced 1.01 million MT of fishery products in the first quarter of this year, marking an increase of 1.5 percent year over year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed in May.
