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Freshly caught tuna. Lower tuna exports may have been sourced by the FAD closure. (Photo: Stock File)
Tuna exports take a dive
PHILIPPINES
Thursday, February 04, 2010, 23:40 (GMT + 9)
The value of the Philippines’ tuna exports dropped by a fifth in 2009 compared to 2008 partly due to a ban on fish aggregating devices (FADs) in the Pacific Ocean instituted in the third quarter.
From USD 339.6 million in 2008, the country’s tuna exports dropped 20.6 per cent to USD 269.4 million last year, according to the regional chapter based in General Santos City of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc (Philexport-12).
About 75 per cent of the value of total exports came from Central Mindanao at USD 206.2 million, a 28.6 per cent-fall from 2008’s USD 288.7 million. The regional office of the Bureau of Customs’ records showed that the country shipped 101.7 million kg of tuna last year against 108.3 million kg in 2008.
Some 82.8 million kg of canned tuna were exported to the US, Europe and other countries in 2009 down from 90.7 million kg in 2008.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) closed portions of the Pacific Ocean to the fishing technique employing FADs in August to September 2009 in an effort to conserve yellowfin and bigeye tuna stocks. The Philippines abided by this measure and may be suffering the consequences, BusinessWorld Online reports.
"The FAD closure may have something to do with the slower export performance of the tuna industry," Philexport-12 Executive Director Ronnie P Masicampo said.
Executive Director of the Tuna Canners Association of the Philippines Francisco J Buencamino, Jr, additionally blames lower tuna catches on an Indonesian policy that failed to renew its bilateral fishing agreement with the Philippines. Consequently, fishing boats have had to venture further out to sea to harvest fish, which increases their fuel and other costs.
"The price of canned tuna inched a little [in the foreign] market but the cost of the [raw] materials spiraled," he observed.
Now that WCPFC has voted to close areas of the Pacific Ocean to purse seine fishing, the tuna industry won’t be getting a break in 2010 either. The Socsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc, estimates a 20 per cent-drop in the volume of tuna catch from 2009 due to the two-year tuna ban implemented on 1 January, whose review is scheduled for December.
Related articles:
- Tuna interests propose vessel day scheme
- Fishing federation appeals for ban reconsideration
By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
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