Tuna trade slow but General Santos continues to cash in on industry

TUNA are displayed at the fish port of General Santos City in May this year just months before experts warned of a decline in catch. JEOFFREY MAITEM/INQUIRER MINDANAO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Mayor Ronnel Rivera has admitted that the tuna industry, which has propelled the city to growth for decades now, is getting stagnant.

“The tuna industry won’t have any significant growth for the years to come due to the strict regulation imposed by foreign countries regarding fishing in international waters,” he said.

But Rivera, speaking at the start of the annual tuna festival here on Friday, said this did not mean that the industry that has given livelihood to residents more than any other is “flunking.”

Tuna continues to be the city’s main economic driver, he said.

This is the same reason, he said, that the city remains to be the country’s tuna capital despite competition being posed by Mindoro.

He said in 2013 alone, the city’s total fish catch was 167,578 tons compared to just 600,000 kg that Mindoro recorded for 2012 and 2013.

“This is a city built on tuna,” said Asis Perez, head of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, at the opening of the tuna congress on Thursday here.

Perez said the tuna industry continues to shape the city’s economy and provide local employment.

“The true heroes of the fishing industry in the city are the small local fishermen who have worked hard perennially just to catch fish,” he said.

Joaquin Lu, president of the South Cotabato-Sultan

Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos Fishing Federation and Allied Industries Inc. (SFFAII), said he was optimistic that the tuna industry would continue to thrive because of the support of the local government.

“Our current administration here in GenSan is always ready to help the fishing sector,” he said.

Last year, local officials had worked hard for the approval of a Special Management Area (SMA), which sought fishing access to Pacific High Seas Pocket 1.

Fishing in the area is being regulated by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC). Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao