January 26, 2010

Philippine seafood sector on losing edge

 

The Philippines is losing millions of dollars in potential revenue as its marine products are off limits to European consumers.

Since January 1, the EU imposed a mandatory scheme that allows only seafood that is not illegally caught, unreported and unregulated.

"As of the moment, Filipino exporters cannot sell fishery products to EU countries, the world's biggest fish market, without this catch certificate," said Jose Ingles who heads the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Coral Triangle Network Initiative's Tuna Strategy programme.

A more stringent policy will be imposed in 2012 by WalMart, one of the largest supermarket chain stores in the US and the largest in the world, that would require certified seafood products on their shelves, Ingles said.

Last week, the EU approved a Catch Certificate system that took Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the private sector one year to develop. It is expected to pave the way for the resumption of Philippine seafood exports to Europe but the bureaucratic process will take time.

Filipino exporters must now present so-called traceability - where the marine product was caught, what gear was used, etc., before BFAR issues the certificates. In turn, suppliers like fisherfolks and registered boats over three gross tonnage must prove they are compliant.

Earlier, the Philippine Exporters Confederation expressed the concern of tuna canners and operators of small and big fishing fleets over BFAR's ability to implement a nationwide fish certification system.

The Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines had asked the government to formally request the EU to give the Philippines more time to comply with the new EU requirement, adding the certification scheme could increase their costs by at least 15%.

Under the scheme, a Third Party Certification is required to document sources of products, which vessels caught them, where, how, volume of catch, as well as compliance with conservation and fishery management practices and so on - all validated by a third-party audit.

The scheme was adopted because Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing involves many species that are over-exploited because of their high value that is, in turn, caused by the short supply.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, IUU fishing is increasing worldwide, resulting in the declining catches of a growing number of fish stocks.