Gov’t to ban galunggong fishing in Palawan

Fishing of galunggong (round scad) in northern Palawan will be temporarily banned in the meantime that the government carries out a study on the species’ spawning period. In a statement, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) yesterday said: “the government is looking at Northern Palawan as the area of study where closed season for galunggong will be implemented either in the last quarter of this year or the first quarter of 2014.” BFAR Director Asis G. Perez, in the statement, said declaring a closed season for sardines to let the species spawn had been very effective, and a similar measure would work for galunggong -- known as “poor man’s fish” -- whose price has risen due to falling catch.