Fishers group urges boycott of imported galunggong

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines — A group of fishermen yesterday vowed to campaign for a nationwide boycott of imported galunggong (round scad), insisting that while the imports are expected to cost less than local harvest, they are a health hazard.

“We urge local vendors, consumers and fishers not to patronize the imported products as they are health hazards and are surely of poor quality. Instead, we will promote locally caught marine and aquatic products, which are not only good in quality but will also help boost the local fishing industry,” said Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya). 

The group contradicted the claims of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that galunggong to be imported are “low in formaldehyde.”

“It is impossible for galunggong to survive months of storage and transportation without chemicals to extend its freshness. Unlike other fish, galunggong is a tuna-like fish that contains red meat and thus releases high histamine levels during storage that would expedite spoilage,” Pamalakaya noted.

Pamalakaya also denied Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s statement that only local traders are opposed to the importation of galunggong.

“The statement of Piñol was a tactic to trivialize the opposition of Filipino fisherfolk and to downplay the adverse effects of importation to our livelihood,” said Pamalakaya chairman Fernando Hicap.

Piñol earlier approved Fisheries Administrative Order 195 to import 17,000 metric tons of galunggong  from China, Vietnam and Taiwan starting Sept. 1, which Pamalakaya claimed will kill the livelihood of local food producers such as small and municipal fishermen.

“It will be a competition between our fresh local products and imported ones, which are relatively cheaper because of their inferior quality and their being frozen. But given control of traders and consignations on local fish trade and the effect of the new tax reform law on local fishers, imported fish will kill local fisheries,” Hicap said.

Hicap added that imported fish will further downgrade the market.

“Help our local fisherfolk develop our mode of production by providing adequate fishing gear, post-harvest facilities and also by abolishing the ‘middlemen’ system and directly procure fish products from fishers’ cooperatives and associations to control price in the market,” Hicap told the agriculture department.