THE Baguio City Council has approved on third and final reading a resolution prescribing the rules and regulations on the entry, handling, and sale of fish, frozen and processed fish and other fishery products in the city.
The ordinance, authored by Councilor Isabelo Cosalan Jr., sets requirements and protocols during the delivery, unloading, sorting, and sale of fish to be observed by all fish traders in the public market.
Among the salient provisions of the ordinance are a mandate to only allow unloading of fishery products at designated “bagsakan” areas of the market, prevention of any sorting process in the unloading areas to keep the area clean, as well as the requirement of having appropriate invoices and permits for every load brought to the market.
On the other hand, all fish post-harvest facilities such as fish processing plants, cold storage, and other fishery business establishments must have valid business permits, a license to operate from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and be in conformity with the minimum standards set by the FDA, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the city government.
Any violator of any pertinent provisions of the ordinance shall be penalized with the confiscation of fishery products not declared from the city transport permit and a fine of P2,000 for the first offense, increasing to a confiscation and revocation of business permit and a fine of P5,000 for any succeeding offense.
