The Philippines may soon be self-sufficient in round scad or galunggong, but it must be prepared to accept a ban on catching the so-called poor man’s food this year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday. In a press briefing, Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said he and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Asis G. Perez are studying the imposition of a closed season on fishing in waters surrounding Palawan province, considered the main breeding ground of the pelagic round scad, in order to ensure the fish’s sustainability. To know whether a ban on catching round scad would be beneficial to the fishing industry in the medium-term, Alcala said he has tapped the expertise of scientists from the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) in Iloilo province.

Benaning, M. N. (2013, March 26). DA plans ban on catching ‘galunggong’ in Palawan. Business Mirror, p. B3.