The Department of Agriculture (DA) will assess importers of fishery products anew and impose a moratorium on the accreditation of new importers until end-March. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed Department Circular 3, which authorized the reevaluation and moratorium on the accreditation of new importers to comply with rules on food safety and traceability of inbound fishery shipments. This, after the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) issued Fisheries Administrative Order 275, stipulating that every importer should secure a license from the agency before they could ship fresh, chilled, and frozen fish and fishery or aquatic products.

Pelonia, A. (2026, February 12). DA set to impose moratorium on fish importers’ accreditation. BusinessMirror, p. A17.