Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said they were informed that the national government is negotiating with the United States to reopen its market to blue swimming crabs from the Philippines.
A blue swimming crab stakeholders’ consultative meeting was held at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City on Friday, July 10.
Representatives from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) promised to continue helping stakeholders regain access to the US market, Lacson also said.
Lacson, in his speech at the stakeholders’ meeting, said that the recent restriction on Philippine blue swimming crab exports to the United States presents a serious challenge for the industry.
The United States has long been one of the country’s largest markets for blue swimming crab products. Any disruption in that market inevitably affects not only exporters and processors, but also the fisherfolk, crab pickers, transport workers, and entire coastal communities whose livelihoods depend on this industry, he said.
Based on BFAR-NIR transport permit data for 2025, Negros Occidental produced over 1,151 metric tons of blue swimming crab products, with an estimated market value of more than ₱936 million, Lacson said.
“More importantly, behind these figures are 1,810 registered blue swimming crab fishers, along with workers in our picking stations, processors, traders, and countless families whose income depends on this industry,” he said.
“These figures remind us that beyond the economic value of this industry are the thousands of individuals and families whose livelihoods depend on its continued growth and sustainability,” the governor added.
The consultative meeting comes at a pivotal time, he said.
“Beyond discussing the challenges before us, it provides an opportunity to listen to one another, exchange ideas, and identify measures that will strengthen our fisheries management while protecting the livelihoods of our people,” he said.
“Let us ensure that the recommendations we formulate are practical, science-based, and responsive to the realities experienced by our fisherfolk and stakeholders on the ground.”
“Our objective is not simply to overcome a specific trade challenge. It is to build a blue swimming crab industry that is resilient, environmentally responsible, globally competitive, and capable of providing sustainable livelihoods for generations to come,” he said.*
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