Sen. Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will have limited success in its campaign against fish smuggling if the agency “overlooks online sellers.” The senator issued the statement several days after the BFAR said it will start confiscating unauthorized fish imports on December 4 while a seasonal commercial fishing ban remains in force until February 2023. Marcos said that BFAR’s warning only covers wet markets and supermarkets. “Smugglers selling online are one step ahead of the BFAR. In an increasingly digital world, wet markets and supermarkets are not the only venues for selling smuggled fish and seafood,” she said.

Tamayo, B. E. (2022, November 28). ‘Keep an eye on online fish sellers’. The Manila Times, p. A3.