GenSan reemerges as tuna powerhouse

MANILA, Philippines - Mention the word “tuna” and immediately, this southern city of General Santos City comes into mind because of the rich waters of Sarangani Bay, one of the breeding grounds of the tastiest tuna in Mindanao which has tickled the world’s palate.

Siatuated near international waters which abound with the sought-after fish, the city has been acknowledged as the country’s “tuna capital” for decades now as its catch can surpass the aggregate tuna yield of all local fish ports.

The tuna industry employs more than 7,500 workers, hosts the most modern fishport in the country and serves as the backbone of the local economy. In 2012, the city had 139,613 MT tuna and tuna-like yield, still the biggest in the Philippines.

So, when GenSan, as it is affectionately called, created a festivity in 1999 to flex its economic muscle, it can be no other than its signature aquatic resource. Thus, the Tuna Festival was born, along with the National Tuna Congress (NTC) to showcase its “tuna capital” tag.

Spearheaded by the Socsksargen Federation of Fisheries and Allied Industries (SFFAII), one of the country’s biggest fisheries associations, the gathering brings together stakeholders in the tuna industry from all over the Philippines.

The group counts among its membership fishing companies, purse seiners, canning firms, traders and cooperatives in South Central Mindanao.

Tuna Congress chairman Joaquin Lu said that the gathering passed resolutions which pertain to vital government reforms to make the tuna sector more resilient in the face of global challenges.

Among its top resolutions is the creation of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR) which is a recurring clamor of the fishing industry for the past four NTCs.

He noted that the country can leverage better in international ministerial conferences, if it is represented by a Cabinet secretary, and not just a bureau director. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), an agency under the Department of Agriculture, is the lead government office for fishery concerns.

The Senate and the House of Representatives have parallel bills for the creation of the DFAR, but was unenacted before it adjourned for the May elections.

Lu, a leading player in the local tuna industry, said there is a need to give priority to the fishery sector to ensure the nurture of the country’s archipelagic waters, in light of the depletion of the resources of the sea.

The NTC also requested the Department of Transportation and Communications to expedite the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Handline Fishing Law to help develop the struggling handline fishing industry for sustainable fishing practices.

He said that the IRR has become more important now that the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission has granted access to Philippine fishing vessels at Pocket 1 of the world’s fishing grounds under a Special Management Arrangement.

Tuna players also called on President Aquino to create a Philippine Committee for Advancement of Highly Migratory Fisheries to ensure the sustainability of these fish stocks.

NTC delegates also pressed for the rationalization of the Cabotage Provisions of the Customs and Tariff Code to reduce freight costs, and improve efficiency of passenger and cargo services.