New fish import rules aim for digital traceability, IUUF enforcement boost

THE Department of Agriculture said its new rules for importing fish and fishery products will introduce digitized supply chain traceability and strengthen safeguards against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUUF).

Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 275, signed by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. on Nov. 24, requires imported fish to be documented at various stages of the supply chain, from entry ports to warehouses and domestic distribution points.

This traceability provision allows authorities to verify the movement of products and ensure they are sourced, handled, and transported according to regulatory norms.

“(Traceability) facilitates the knowledge regarding the identity, history, and source of a product or of material contained within a product. It also facilitates knowledge regarding the destination of a product or any ingredients contained within it,” according to the order.

According to FAO 275, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will digitize the tracking system within one year, enabling easier monitoring and effective enforcement against supply chain irregularities.

To strengthen IUUF compliance, FAO 275 also requires that imported wild-caught fish carry a catch certificate issued by the competent authority of the exporting country. The catch certificate requirement helps ensure that only legally caught fish enters domestic markets.

This measure is designed to align the Philippines’ fish import regulations with international agreements, including the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Port State Measures Agreement, targeting IUUF by regulating port access for foreign fishing vessels.

FAO 275 also retains existing rules on fish imports. All consignments remain subject to border and post-border inspections and random and risk-based sampling. Shipments must also meet packaging, labeling, transport temperature, and hygiene standards. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel