The Department of Agriculture (DA) has moved its approved 250,000-metric-ton (MT) fish importation to October due to the El Niño season, Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Wednesday. The importation was previously set August to address local supply shortfalls and stabilize prices.“The fishing season has been extended due to El Niño and we have ample supply of bangus and other fish, so we will start [the importation] during the closed fishing season in October,” Tiu Laurel told reporters at the launch of an agriculture database system.A closed fishing season is an annual temporary ban on catching specific species in designated waters during peak spawning periods to protect breeding stock and allow depleted fisheries to recover.It is imposed in the Visayan Sea and Zamboanga Peninsula from November to February, and in Davao Gulf from June to August.

Ong, C. G. (2026, July 23). DA moves fish imports to October. The Manila Times, p. B2.