DA creates RP team to attend Pacific Fisheries Commission

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has approved the creation of a Philippine team responsible for the country’s strategic positioning, bargaining, and negotiations with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC).


In a memorandum to Secretary Alcala, Director Asis G. Perez of the DA’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the permanent Philippine team was recently constituted and composed of representatives from the departments of agriculture (DA), foreign affairs (DFA), and trade and industry (DTI), the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and other fishing industry leaders.

The team will attend the 8th WCPFC regular session on December 5-9, 2011, at Ngarachamayong Cultural Centre, Madalii in Koror, Palau. Among the agenda items for discussion is the stock status of key tuna species and evaluation of the WCPFC Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) 2008-01.


Under the CMM, the WCPFC implemented on January 1, 2008 the closure of high sea pockets in the Pacific Ocean to address overfishing of various types of tuna like big-eye, yellowfin, skipjack, and South Pacific albacore. The closure has since then adversely affected Philippine tuna production.


Secretary Alcala approved the creation of the WCPFC Philippine team at the recently concluded 13th National Tuna Congress, in General Santos City. He also approved several resolutions forwarded by the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), and recommendations by the DA-BFAR to shore up the ailing tuna industry.


The SFFAII, in a resolution, said the Philippines submitted a position to the WCPFC meeting in Hawaii last December 2010 calling for the establishment of a Special Management Area in High Seas Pocket 1, where Filipino fresh and ice-chilled fishing vessels may be allowed.


But the federation noted that closure of portions of the high seas may be extended beyond 2011, and skipjack tuna may be among the species to be managed by the Commission, warranting the organization of a Philippine team “that will draw strong and strategic positioning and negotiating tools on WCPFC matters.”


Meanwhile, director Perez said they recently sent two BFAR scientists to attend the 7th Regular Session of the WCPFC Scientific Committee (SC) in August 9-17, in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia. Accordingly, the WCPFC SC concluded that tuna, specifically the yellow fin species, is not experiencing overfishing. However, the SC recommended that there should be no increase in fishing efforts in the western equatorial region.


It was also learned during the same conference that bigeye tuna was nearing the overfishing level, prompting the WCPFC SC to recommend a 32 percent reduction in fishing effort to address the diminishing stock, Perez said.


He added that it was still early to determine the effects of the high seas closure in 2009 in terms of other tuna varieties.


As this developed, Perez recommended to Secretary Alcala to adopt a comprehensive approach towards building better relations with Indonesia and other Pacific Island countries by strengthening the National Tuna Industry Council (NTIC).


The DA-BFAR is also planning to start next year the delineation of Philippine territorial waters that overlap with those of Indonesia and Palau.


The delineation will hopefully create a mutually beneficial arrangement on maritime boundaries among the three countries that will strengthen security programs in Southern Philippine waters, protect Filipino fishermen, and lead to the sustainable development of the country’s tuna industry, Perez said.


Last year, the country’s tuna production totaled 387,101 metric tons (MT), which was 9% less than in 2008. Of the total, commercial fish catch accounted for 70% or 271,625 MT, 14% less than in 2008, the SFFAII said.


Total tuna exports in 2010 was valued at US$ 359.4 million (roughly P15.45 billion at $1=P43). Of the total volume, about 70% was in canned form (76,800MT), and the rest (33,688MT) was either in fresh, chilled or frozen form.


Canned tuna exports in 2010 dropped by 8% compared to 2009 figures, the SFFAII said.


In 2010, the total value of commercial fish production was placed at P17 billion, of which P10.7 billion (or 63%) was contributed by the SOCSKSARGEN region. DA Information Service