Overfishing, global warming cut tuna catch

MANILA, Philippines—Tuna catch in local waters is dwindling due to overfishing and the effects of global warming.

President Benigno Aquino on Friday sounded this alarm, saying tuna, a high-value catch and the source of livelihood for thousands of fishermen and major canneries in southern Philippines, is facing man-made and environmental threats.

“In recent years, the industry has suffered dwindling catches due to overfishing; and this has been further compounded by the existing ban by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission on all fishing operations in the high seas packets 1 and 2,” Aquino said in a speech read by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala at the 13th National Tuna Congress in General Santos City.

The Philippines is among the world’s top 10 tuna producers, with species like skipjack, yellowfin, and frigate bullet among the catches.

The tuna sector accounts for 12 percent of the country’s total fish production and employs about 120,000 workers, with General Santos City as the hub of the industry. The annual export receipts of the tuna sector is pegged at about $280 million.

But recent years saw a decline in tuna catches and production.

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization said in its August 2011 report that “the tuna industry in the Philippines is suffering from high production costs and high raw material costs, and, as a result, canned tuna production in General Santos City is diminishing rapidly. Some fear it will disappear altogether. ”

Commercial fishing declined by 15 percent in the first semester of 2011 due to extreme weather and high gasoline prices, the Department of Agriculture said.

According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the canneries in General Santos City are presently operating below their full capacity.

Aside from overfishing, the Philippine tuna industry also has to grapple with the effects of climate change.

Scientists said the warming and rising sea levels could affect the migration of fish species.

Aquino said the government recognizes this challenge.

“Over the long term, we will also have to confront the potentially catastrophic impact of climate on tuna production. Experts warn that increasing surface ocean temperatures may change the frequency and duration of El Niño cycles and may affect fish migration patterns. These changes may lower overall productivity and alter the spatial distribution of tuna stocks in the long run,” Aquino added.

The tuna industry also has to deal with costlier production as fuel and oil prices account for half of the industry’s operating costs.

To address this problem, Aquino said the government was considering providing fuel subsidy to small local fishers.

Aquino said the Philippine government was committed to keep the tuna industry alive and has ordered the agriculture department to draft bilateral agreements with neighboring countries to widen fishing grounds.

A dedicated high level negotiating team from DA-BFAR and DFA  will pursue such talks, notably with Indonesia, Palau, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia, Aquino said.

To ensure the industry will not vanish, Aquino urged the tuna industry to modernize its methods and facilities.

The President noted that the Philippines could capture the lucrative European market if it follows international standards and sustainable fishing methods.