Manila, April 16 -- To sustain a stable fish supply in the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is considering a possible hike in fish imports should the fishing sector halt operations due to surging fuel prices.

The National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC) has earlier released the Certificate of Necessity to Import (CNI) for 250,000 metric tons (MT) of fish in February.

In an interview, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. disclosed that the computed volume for all species does not account for the effects of the tensions in the Middle East.

"Kung tumigil 'yung sector, pwedeng mag-300,000 MT or 350,000 MT, hindi natin alam, depende sa demand (If the sector stops, it could be 300,000 or 35...