Manila, April 26 -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Friday confirmed a lower import volume of fish for the October to December closed fishing season.

In an interview, BFAR Spokesperson Nazario Briguera said the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) has decided to import 25,000 metric tons (MT) of frozen pelagic fish, including galunggong (round scad), mackerel, and bonito, among others.

Pelagic fish are those that inhabit the pelagic zone of the world's lakes, rivers, and oceans - being neither close to the bottom nor near the shore. They range in size from small coastal forage fish, such as herrings and sardines, to large apex predator oceanic fishes, such as bluefin tuna and ocean...