Vol. 1 No.

2 September 2018

SFFAII convenes 20th National Tuna Congress

For the past nineteen (19) years, the SOCSKSARGEN Federation

of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) has hosted the National SFFAII launches 1st
Tuna Congress every September except for the 1st National Tuna
Congress which was hosted by the Department of Trade and Indus- Coffee Table Book
try-General Santos City. SFFAII has never wavered in its commitment
to mount the Congress every year, a strong testament of the lead-
ership role it has fully embraced and passionately executed. This
year’s event serves as a milestone for SFFAII because it is the 20th
Page 2

“Tuna: At the Heart of General Santos” comes out this

month!

Who would have thought that General Santos City

Committee Meeting. The 20th National Tuna Congress Program and Resolu-
tions Committee chaired by SFFAII Director Dominic R. Salazar, held a series
of meetings to tackle the updates on the Resolutions adopted during the 19th
National Tuna Congress in September 2017.
would become the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines”? In
Region 12, the fishing industry finds its nucleus in GenSan,
providing thousands of jobs and generating millions of for-
eign exchange earnings. The growth of the city is closely
linked to the Tuna Industry.
Page 11

Contact Nos. (83) 8261042 / 8261047 Fax: (83) 5529736 Email: fishing.federation@gmail.com sffaii1999@yahoo.com
Official Website: https://www.sffaii.com

President’s Note
Joaquin T. Lu
This is it! The 20th National Tuna Congress is about to unfold! It
is always a pleasure to mount the event every year. We see familiar
faces and new faces. We strengthen and renew old bonds and build
new ones. It’s always a time for new beginnings.
We invite everyone to join us as we continue our advocacy to
protect our God-given seas and look after the welfare of our Manana-
gat whose life is anchored on the bounty of the sea.
Life is about living and giving. Life is about taking stock of what
we have and, if and when, given the chance to occupy a leadership
position, to use that post to help many others. For by enriching the
lives of the regular folks, we enrich our lives ten times over.
We hope that this 20th National Tuna Congress is not only an
occasion for learning new things and building relationships, but more
importantly, to look at the bigger picture, that is, uplifting the lives
of the Mananagat whose very means of survival is deeply connected
with the sea and whose welfare should be primordial in our interests
as a big lobby group. That in the end, it’s not only about the industry,
but also about the man and woman who make the backbone of the
industry – the Mananagat.
To quote Vincent Van Gogh: The fishermen know that the sea is
dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these
dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.
God bless the Mananagat! God bless the Tuna Industry!
THE MANANAGAT CHRONICLE
EDITORIAL BOARD
Editorial Consultants
Joaquin T. Lu
Rosanna Bernadette B. Contreras
Writers/Contributors
Shalimar S. Abdurahman
Christina Y. Cañete
Virgie A. de Dios
Eric C. Sison
Mary Jean S. Villegas
Genory Vanz S. Alfasain
The Mananagat Chronicle is published bi-annually
by the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc.
GenSan Fishport Complex, Tambler, General Santos City, Phillipines.
All rights reserved. 2018.
2 | The Mananagat Chronicle
FFSAPI opens Training Center
Fresh Frozen Seafood Association of the Philippines, Inc. or FF-
SAPI has opened their new training center in August, this year at TM
building, Yumang Street, General Santos City. The training center
will cater to the organization’s members’ need for industry updates
and compliance with the required certifications like British Retail
Consortium and Marine Stewardship Council.
The center also offers training activities on Good Manufactur-
ing Practices or GMP, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures or
SSOP, and a full course on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point or
HACCP to different industries, including the Micro, Small, and Medi-
um Enterprises and the Academia.
Training Center Opens. Gerald Jazmin, serving on the Board of Trustees
of Fresh Frozen Seafood Association of the Philippines, Inc. (FFSAPI), and
Patricia Santos, wife and representative of Jose Emmanuel M. Santos, FF-
SAPI President, led the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the opening of the training
center.
SFFAII convenes... From page 1
year. This year’s apt theme is “20 Years and Beyond: Continuing the
Remarkable Convergence”. The 20th National Tuna Congress (Tuna
Congress) will be held on September 5-7, 2018, at SM Trade Halls,
3rd Floor, SM City General Santos in General Santos City.
The event is expected to convene eight hundred (800) partic-
ipants coming from the different sectors of the fishing industry in
the country and abroad. Important stakeholders from government
agencies are also expected. The three-day Congress will have pre-
sentations and workshops covering the following areas of interest:
certification and monitoring, issues and concerns, and the impor-
tance of sustainable fishing in the fishing industry. The Tuna Con-
gress will also launch the National Tuna Management Plan of 2018
and will give an update on the Electronic Catch Documentation and
Traceability System.
The Tuna Congress is an excellent venue for networking oppor-
tunities. The participants are afforded the chance to showcase their
products and services while keeping abreast with the latest updates
of the Philippine Tuna Industry.
Tuna conservation zones established;
Handliners receive payaw from BFAR
The Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquat-
ic Resources (DA-BFAR) launched the Tuna Conservation and Man-
agement Zones (TCMZ) for handliners in the Celebes Sea at the Gen-
eral Santos City Fishport Complex, Tambler, General Santos City in
April, this year. The establishment of TCMZs in Philippine waters is
a national priority project of the DA-BFAR. One of its objectives is to
contribute in the attainment of fish food security and sustainable
Tuna production and livelihood. TCMZs are areas where Fish Aggre-
gating Devices (FADs) or “payaw” will be deployed in clusters and
used exclusively for handline fishing.
DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol led the turnover of sixty (60) DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol spoke at the Tuna Conservation and Manage-
ment Zone in the Celebes Sea launching ceremony participated by stakehold-
units of FAD to members of the Alliance of Tuna Handliners (ATH)
ers and handliners.
based in GenSan and the municipalities of Alabel, Malapatan, Glan,
Kiamba, and Maitum in Sarangani Province.
Piñol encouraged fisherfolks to avail of the financial assistance
offered by DA through the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA) pro-
gram, a special credit program designed to address the financial
needs of marginal and small farmers, offering non-collateralized
loans for agri-fishery production. Secretary Piñol allotted P50-mil-
lion pesos exclusively for the handline operations of the concerned
Tuna handliners.
ATH chairperson Dario Lauron expressed gratitude, especial-
ly for the payaw and other DA-BFAR projects and programs, that
DA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol turned over sixty (60) units of payaw to mem-
would surely help the handliners develop their fishing activities. bers of Alliance of Tuna Handliners in Sarangani and General Santos City.
Orientation for MSC certification set
Fresh Frozen Seafood Association-Tuna Processors Philip- the blue MSC label guarantees the buyer that the product is trace-
pines, Inc. (FFSA-TPPI) accomplished a Marine Stewardship Council able back to a sustainable source.
(MSC) Fisheries Standard Certification Orientation on May 21, 2018
at the PFDA Conference Room, Fishport Complex, Tambler, General Control Union is one of the accredited independent certifiers
Santos City. The said orientation was attended by operation and for MSC. “Control Union Certification has focused its efforts in de-
plant managers coming from Sta. Cruz Seafood International, Inc.; veloping services around the sustainability of the industry’s supply
RDEX Food International Philippines, Inc.; Well Delight Network chains which feed into the food, feed, forestry, biomass, bioenergy,
Corp.; Rell and Renn Seafood Sphere, Inc.; and Philippine Cinmic social compliance and textiles markets. Control Union has used its
Industrial Corp. foundation in agriculture to build its services around supply chains
that require sustainable, sourcing solutions.”
Seth Wang, General Manager of Control Union Singapore, pre-
sented an overview of MSC fisheries and MSC Chain of Custody Globally, demand for responsibly- and sustainably-sourced
(CoC) standards certification process. seafood products is taking center stage. As a result, consumers and
businesses look for fish and seafood products with eco-labels certi-
MSC is an independent non-profit organization which sets fying that they are sourced sustainably and produced responsibly.
the standards for sustainable and responsible fisheries and fishing
practices worldwide. MSC’s fisheries standard for determining en- “Fisheries Ecolabels are seals of approval given to seafood
vironmentally sustainable, well-managed fisheries centers on three products deemed to have fewer impacts on the environment. The
core principles: 1) condition of the fish stock; 2) fishery’s impact goal of the eco-labelling programs is to create market-based incen-
on the surrounding ecosystem and its effectiveness; and 3) perfor- tives for better management of fisheries by creating consumer de-
mance of the fishery’s management system. Seafood stamped with mand for seafood products from well-managed stocks” (FAO 2001).
The Mananagat Chronicle | 3
Tanzania and GenSan: Potential deep-sea fishing partners
COURTESY CALL. Tanzania Consul General Ebenezer Sayore (4th from left)
poses with General Santos City Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera (5th from left) to-
gether with DFA Assistant Secretary for Middle East and African Affairs Hjay-
ceelyn Quintana (6th from left). Also in photo are Allan Marcilla of the General
Santos City Economic Management and Cooperative Development Office
(CEMCDO) (1st from left), SFFAII Executive Director Rosanna Bernadette
B. Contreras (2nd from left), SFFAII Treasurer Dexter G. Teng (3rd from left),
Department Head Leonard Flores, CEMCDO (7th from left), and DFA Officers.
Photo Credit: City Public Information Office, General Santos City
Tanzania Consul General Ebenezer Sayore visited General San-
tos City on April 20-21, 2018, to explore potential partnership with
Filipino companies that will help develop the deep-sea fishing in-
dustry of Tanzania.
SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc.
(SFFAII) organized a meeting for Consul Sayore to discuss possible
cooperation and collaboration with the local government unit and
major fishing industry players in the city. Consul Sayore was accom-
panied by Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary
Hjayceelyn Quintana, Nela Subang-Santos (Special Assistant to the
Consul), and Sharon Primavera and Armaigne Grace C. Aquino, both
from DFA.
32 fishing vessels
back to port in city
All thirty-two (32) Tuna Purse Seine and Ring net commercial
fishing vessels operating in the Western and Central Pacific High
Seas Pocket 1-Special Management Area (HSP1-SMA) have come
back to port in GenSan in the last week of June, this year.
This follows the prohibition of setting on Fish Aggregating De-
vices (FADs) in the HSP1-SMA from July to September, as provided in
Conservation Management Measure (CMM) 2017-01 (Conservation
and Management Measure for bigeye, yellowfin, and skipjack Tuna
in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean) of the Western and Cen-
tral Pacific Fisheries Commission. This action likewise complies with
Fisheries Administrative Order 245-3 entitled, “Regulations and
Implementing Guidelines on Group Tuna Purse Seine Operations in
High Seas Pocket Number 1 as a Special Management Area”.
CMMs spell forth binding decisions relating to conservation
and management measures. Such decisions are sequentially num-
bered and include the year of adoption.
4 | The Mananagat Chronicle
During the meeting, SFFAII presented the fishing industry profile
and updates to give Consul Sayore a background of the city’s fishing
industry. For his part, Sayore explained that Tanzania offers a vast ar-
ray of opportunities as the country boasts of abundant natural and
manpower resources, enjoys political stability, and grants an attrac-
tive tax incentive package to potential investors and partners.
DFA Assistant Secretary Quintana said the proposal and invita-
tion generated interest from the city’s business community which
likewise presented their company profiles and shared their unique
experiences on Tuna canning expansion like in Papua New Guinea and
Indonesia. They advised the Tanzania Consul to consider adopting the
same model.
Sayore paid a courtesy visit on GenSan City Mayor Ronnel Rivera.
He also visited Philbest Canning Corporation and the General Santos
City Fish Port to witness its day-to-day operations and its best prac-
tices.
Meeting with Tanzania Consul. SFFAII organized a meeting for Tanzania
Consul General Ebenezer Sayore to discuss possible cooperation and collab-
oration with the local government unit and major fishing industry players in the
city.
PHL joins 22nd Indian Ocean
Tuna Commission meeting
The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) held its 22nd An-
nual Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on May 21-25, 2018 with Vice
Chairperson Jung-re Riley Kim of the Republic of Korea, presiding
over the meeting. A total of 232 delegates from 27 contracting par-
ties (Members) of the Commission; 6 delegates from 2 cooperat-
ing non-contracting parties; 37 delegates from 14 observers to the
Commission (including 9 invited experts); and 2 delegates from the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, partici-
pated in the international meeting. Philippine Delegation composed
of BFAR representatives and SFFAII members was led by Assistant
Director Sammy Malvas.
The said meeting addressed highly-important challenges con-
fronting Conservation and Sustainable Management of stocks cov-
ered by the Organization’s mandate. In the same meeting, the Com-
mission granted the status of Cooperating Non-Contracting Party,
Page 5
PRES-U launched in General Santos City
RIBBON CUTTING. (From left to right) Ribbon-cutting ceremony participated
by GenSan Vice Mayor Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, GenSan Mayor Ronnel C.
Rivera, Atty. Glen A. Pangapalan, SFFAII’s Rosanna Bernadette B. Contreras,
and PFDA’s Jose M. Abarquez.
The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority-General San-
tos Fishport Complex (PFDA-GSFPC), together with the SOCSK-
SARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII),
launched PRICE ESTIMATE OF UNLOADING or PRES-U in March 2018
at the Market Hall 1 of the General Santos Fish Port Complex.
PRES-U is a price watch initiative by PFDA and SFFAII that aims
to promote transparency in the marketplace. It is a daily price moni-
toring system that captures Fish Unloading transactions of Fish Port
market clients at Market Trading Halls 1, 2, and 3.
Present in the inauguration were Atty. Glen Pangapalan, Gen-
eral Manager, PFDA; Atty. Loralie C. Datahan, Asst. General Manag-
er, PFDA; GenSan City Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera; GenSan Vice Mayor
Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles; Jose M. Abarquez, GenSan Fish Port Man-
PHL joins... From page 4
until the close of the 23rd Session in 2019, to Liberia and Senegal.
They added 5 vessels to the IOTC Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulat-
ed (IUU) vessel List, bringing the total number of vessels listed to 74.
The following 10 Conservation and Management Measures
were adopted by the Commission: 1) Resolution 18/01: Interim Plan
for Rebuilding the Indian Ocean Yellowfin Tuna stock in the IOTC area
of competence; 2) Resolution 18/02: Management measures for the
conservation of blue shark caught in association with IOTC fisheries;
3) Resolution 18/03: Establishing list of vessels presumed to have car-
ried out Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing in the IOTC area
of competence; 4) Resolution 18/04: Bio-FAD experimental Project;
5) Resolution 18/05: Management measures for the conservation of
bill fish, striped marlin, black marlin, blue marlin, and Indo-Pacific sail-
fish; 6) Resolution 18/06: Establishing a program for Transshipment
ager; Rosanna Bernadette Contreras, SFFAII Executive Director; SF-
FAII Officers; City Councilor Brix Tan, Chairperson, Committee on
Fisheries; Engr. Milagros Casis, RED-DA12; BFAR 12; DA 12; and oth-
er group representatives.
To make the system work, SFFAII provided three (3) units of 51-
inch LCD TV while PFDA-GSFPC provided computer hardware and
system development. With this system, prices will be displayed via
TV monitors installed at Markets 1, 2, and 3 showing species, qual-
ity, and the highest and lowest prices. The system can also be used
for the Port’s information campaign since it can show video presen-
tations for announcements, advisories, and among others.
The targeted beneficiaries of this monitoring system are the
fishermen and traders.
CONTRACT SIGNING. GenSan Fish Port Manager Jose M. Abarquez and
SFFAII Executive Director Rosanna Bernadette Contreras signing the Deed of
Assignment for the PRES-U project. It was witnessed by GenSan Vice Mayor
Shirlyn Bañas-Nograles, GenSan Mayor Ronnel C. Rivera, and Atty. Glen A.
Pangapalan.
by large-scale fishing seeds; 7) Resolution 18/07: Measures Appli-
cable in case of non-fulfilment of reporting obligations in the IOTC;
8) Resolution 18/08: Procedures on Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)
Management Plan including a limitation on the number of FADs’
more detailed specifications of catch reported and the incidence of
entanglement of non-target species; 9) Resolution 18/09: Scoping
study of Socio-Economic Indicators of IOTC fisheries; 10) Resolution
18/10: Vessel chartering in the IOTC Area of Competence.
Implementation and enforcement remain major issues in the
Indian Ocean. There is a need for more vigorous action as lack of
compliance puts at risk the overall sustainability of the Indian Ocean
including Tuna stock.
The Mananagat Chronicle | 5
PH eCDTS Corner
First-Movers simulate eCDTS
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Fisheries Infor-
mation Management Center (BFAR-FIMC), ably led by Zaldy Perez,
in partnership with USAID Oceans, is developing an Electronic Catch
Documentation and Traceability System (eCDTS) to further bolster
conservation measures and sustainable utilization of aquatic re-
sources. Since its initial development in June 2017, the said docu-
mentation system has gone through various revisions to ensure its
conformity with current business operations of target users, compli-
ance with national laws, and suitability to market demands.
SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc.
(SFFAII) engaged the twelve (12) First-Mover companies that agreed
to pilot-test the system. The First-Mover companies are composed
of sectors coming from handline, purse seine, canning, and fresh
frozen processors, to capture the entire fishing supply chain in Gen-
eral Santos.
Practical Navigation Training undertaken
The SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Indus-
tries, Inc. (SFFAII), in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries
and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), organized a three-day Practical
Navigation Training at Hotel Dolores, General Santos City in
April, this year. The training capacitated fishing vessel captains
and crew and enhanced their skills and knowledge on policies
concerning fishing operations, safe navigation at sea - focusing
on chart works, plotting, and fish catch documentation (filling
up of log sheets).
Alma Dickson, Fishing Technology and Management Con-
sultant of BFAR, discussed the relevant national policies and
Fisheries Administrative Orders (FAOs) on commercial fishing
RETRAINING. It is essential for professionals and workers to undertake
refresher training courses and activities to revisit their skills, enhance, and
sharpen through the inputs of industry experts.
6 | The Mananagat Chronicle
As part of the development life cycle, the target users from the
selected First-Mover companies took the time to test the system.
Rell and Renn Fishing Corp. and Tuna Explorers Inc., two of the fish-
ing companies that signified interest to get involved in the project,
undertook a series of user tests using actual, live data. Both compa-
nies were able to generate electronic logsheet forms and submitted
same via internet, to BFAR inspector for validation. Upon validation,
the said companies were able to create and submit the electronic
Catch Origin and Landing Declaration form, and had it validated by
BFAR. Feedbacks were then collated by the developers to further
improve its functionality.
Once the system is finalized, assessed, and proven to withstand
major technical issues, the eCDTS will be rolled out to all First-Mov-
er companies and will run alongside their current internal systems.
operations and the different Regional Fisheries Management
Organizations’ conservation measures for commercial fishing
operations.
Marlo Demo-os presented BFAR’s Fisheries Observer Pro-
gram – the program responsible for the training’s implementa-
tion, including the necessary administrative support to deploy
observers to collect scientific data and other information, as
provided in Section 2 of FAO-240. He also talked about the du-
ties and responsibilities of Fisheries Observers, their mandate,
and sanctions. Meanwhile, Maria Joy Mabanglo presented
BFAR’s Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) operations. She talked
about how VMS works, Entry and Exit Notification, Anti-Tam-
pering feature, and how to troubleshoot the electronic logbook
that comes with the system. Isidro Tanangonan on the other
hand, delved on bycatch policies and rules to help fishing ves-
sel captains and crew increase their awareness on population
decline of certain species, and help them learn how to handle
bycatch, specifically sharks.
Eugene Casas, Senior Fishing Regulations Officer of BFAR
12, explored the importance of fish catch documentation. He
explained that log sheets are to be filled up by the fishing ves-
sel captains to document their fishing activity at sea. He also
walked them through all the fields in the log sheet and taught
them how to supply the necessary data.
To complete the said training, Capt. Bernabe Gonzales took
the time to educate the captains and crew about safe naviga-
tion by giving them practical exercises on how to plot their cur-
rent location on the map with the given latitude and longitude.
SFFAII calls for review of BAC 251 and FAO 238-1
The SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Indus-
tries, Inc. (SFFAII), in partnership with USAID Oceans and the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 12,
held a workshop on April 16, 2018 at East Asia Royale Hotel,
General Santos City aimed at reviewing the applicability of
BFAR Administrative Circular 251 on data requirements and
improving the Philippine Catch Documentation and Traceabili-
ty Scheme. This will help keep the industry globally competitive
by complying with different market demands and standards.
BFAR Administrative Circular no. 251 series of 2014, oth-
erwise known as the “Traceability System for Fish and Fishery Fresh Frozen Processors group discusses BAC 251 data requirements.
Products”, establishes the traceability system for wild-caught
and farmed fish and other aquatic products for export. ies and Aquaculture Summit in November 2017 and Handline
Fifty-seven (57) Tuna Industry stakeholders attended the Summit in December 2017, respectively, the industry called for
the review and amendment of BAC 251 based on the applica-
bility on all types of fisheries.
Workshop participants came from General Tuna Canning
Corp., Seatrade Canning Corp., Ocean Canning Corp., Celebes
Canning Corp., Alliance Food Select International, PhilBest Can-
ning Corp., Rell and Renn Seafood Sphere, Inc., Mommy Gina
Tuna Resources, Sta. Cruz Seafood International, Inc., RDEX,
Tenpoint Manufacturing Corp. and Well Delight, Immanuel
Tuna Traders, Jebo Fishing, Rell and Renn Fishing Corp., Mar-
chael SeaVenture Corp., Tuna Explorers, Inc., Sto. Niño Aqua
Fishing Venture Corp., CHL Fishing, NH Agro Industrial Corp.,
and RJ Fishing.
USAID Oceans holds learning
Tuna industry stakeholders attend workshop to review BAC 251 and FAO
238-1.
workshop representing fresh frozen processors, Tuna canner- exchange workshop in GenSan
ies, and purse seine and handline operators in the region.
USAID Oceans held a learning exchange workshop to
pave the way for the implementation of the Electronic Catch
On exporting to European Union (EU) countries, the Phil-
Documentation and Traceability System (eCDTS) in the Philip-
ippines implemented the Fisheries Administrative Order 238-
pines on May 8-11, 2018 at Microtel in General Santos City.
1, a Catch Certification Scheme requiring all fishery products
The workshop aimed at helping the Indonesian delegates un-
exported to the EU to be accompanied with a Catch Certificate
derstand the development of the Philippines’ eCDTS, the role
duly validated and approved by BFAR, ensuring full traceability
of government and the fisheries stakeholders, and how they
in all stages, from net to plate, and the availability of relevant
can all work together to secure the conservation of marine
trail of documentary evidence.
resources.
Currently, an Electronic Catch Documentation and Trace-
Present in the learning workshop were USAID Regional
ability System or eCDTS is being developed by BFAR to ensure
Development Mission of Asia, USAID Indonesia, MDPI Indo-
full traceability, real time monitoring, catch validation, and the
nesia, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries-Indonesia,
prevention of entry of fish and fishery products derived from
USAID Philippines, SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and
Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing into the sup-
Allied Industries, Inc., Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Re-
ply chain.
sources-Region 12, Futuristic Aviation and Maritime Enter-
prise, Inc., and several fisheries stakeholders in the city.
In the recently-concluded State of the Philippine Fisher-
Page 8
The Mananagat Chronicle | 7
PH eCDTS Corner
PHL delegates in IND for learning exchange
An exchange program called “CDT Learning Exchanges”, was
organized by USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership in collabora-
tion with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center and
the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) at
the USAID Learning Site in Manado-Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indone-
sia in June, this year. ASEAN member-states and industry represen-
tatives including the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied
Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) were invited to benefit from the learning
exchanges among countries implementing eCDTS.
Participants visited Indonesia’s fish landing port at Bitung as
part of their learning exchange activities. They witnessed various
presentations and demonstrations of catch documentation systems
developed by Masyarakat dan Perikanan Indonesia (MDPI) and
IND and PHL delegates. MDPI-Indonesia and SFFAII-General Santos City,
Philippines representatives participated in the Port sampling and Trafiz demo
at Manado, Indonesia.
USAID Oceans... From page 7
On the workshop’s second day, Indonesian delegates were in-
vited to the General Santos Fish Port to observe and get acquainted
with the fishing operations of the city. A demonstration of the Phil-
ippines’ eCDTS was also conducted in two (2) of the city’s First-Mov-
er companies: Tuna Explorers, Inc. and Rell and Renn Fishing Corp.
USAID Oceans promotes the preservation of fisheries stocks
across Southeast Asia. It supports the development of Catch Doc-
umentation and Traceability System (CDTS) which provides a co-
herent and effective process of documenting integral information
about the seafood supply chain - from point of catch to export, as
well as, facilitate backward traceability - from export, back to the
point of catch.
8 | The Mananagat Chronicle
Pointrek demo. Sang Udaraya, National ICT Specialist-Indonesia, conducts
a demonstration on Pointrek at PT Samudra Mandiri Sentosa in Bitung, In-
donesia.
MMAF. This exposure further enhanced their understanding of In-
donesia’s seafood supply chain and how the systems were built and
designed to integrate with their current business operations.
The participants also visited one of Indonesia’s First-Mover
companies, PT Samudra Mandiri Sentosa. The fishing company is
among the firsts to implement Indonesia’s traceability system for
data collection at sea, Pointrek.
Moreover, SFFAII representatives also had the chance to visit
MDPI’s port sampling site for the Trafiz demo. They later went to PT
Blue Ocean Grace International, a fresh frozen processor company
that integrates TraceTales, an integral part of their business process.
The Philippine delegation was composed of Beverly San Juan,
BFAR, Shalimar Abdurahman, SFFAII, and Eric Sison, SFFAII.
Interestingly, Indonesia is one of the largest Tuna suppliers in the
world. Its fishing industry is a vital component of its overall economy.
However, being a major supplier of fisheries products also imposes
accompanying threats on marine conservation, as they are prone to
unsustainable fishing practices.
To address such issue, USAID Oceans partnered with Masyarakat
dan Perikanan Indonesia, an independent foundation that supports
responsible and sustainable fishing practices, to develop a catch doc-
umentation and traceability system that covers the entire seafood
supply chain in Indonesia - from point of catch (Pointrek), to middle-
men (Trafiz), to the processors (TraceTales).
ASEAN Tuna Eco-Labelling consultative-workshop held
Aiming to enhance the competitiveness of ASEAN Tuna glob-
ally and branding it as a suitable and traceable-produced prod-
uct, the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries of the Republic
of Indonesia, in partnership with USAID Oceans and Fisheries
Partnership and the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development
Center, implemented a Consultative-Workshop on ASEAN Tuna
Ecolabelling (ATEL) on June 25, 2018 in Manado, North Sulawesi,
Indonesia. Representatives of all ASEAN member-states were in-
vited to participate, provide inputs, and raise inquiries regarding
the labelling scheme. SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and
Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) representatives led by Executive
Director Rosanna Bernadette Contreras were invited and partici-
pated as resource persons.
During the workshop, it was emphasized that ATEL certifi-
cation should be affordable, yielding benefits not only for stake-
holders, but also for marine ecosystems. Workshop participants
agreed on the importance of implementing ATEL in the ASEAN
region to support sustainable management of Tuna fisheries.
Given this, they have endorsed ATEL to ministers in charge of ag-
riculture, fisheries, and marine affairs, to be carried and tackled
during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Forest-
ry in September 2018.
The workshop further suggested that after the endorse-
ment of the ATEL Policy Paper, further work should consider
the following: 1) Implementation of ATEL should create regional
branding and benefit ASEAN as Tuna producing Countries, im-
proving business; 2) Develop Terms of Reference (TOR) under
3rd TWG workshop held in Bangkok
Members, partner organizations, and US government rep-
resentatives of USAID Oceans Regional Technical Working Group
(TWG) convened for the third time in Bangkok, Thailand in July,
this year, to accomplish USAID Oceans’ objectives, obtain inputs
from participants on regional priorities, and reflect on how USAID
Oceans’ legacy can be integrated into each country’s national fish-
eries agendum.
The TWG workshop sessions acquired inputs and guidance
from members particularly on the development of regional guide-
lines for ASEAN-wide adoption and implementation of the electron-
ic Catch Documentation and Traceability Systems (eCDTS) which
support sustainable fisheries management, human welfare, and
leverage public-private partnership. The sharing sessions generated
updates from project partners on unique experiences and lessons
learned.
Shalimar Abdurahman, Project Officer of SOCSKSARGEN Fed-
eration of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), presented the
General Santos-Philippine Learning Site’s activities, experiences,
ASEAN Mechanism, which involves Tuna multi-stakeholders such
as: government, producer, association, NGOs, and regional orga-
nizations; 3) Develop work plan and collaboration with Partners
and Donors to ensure that ATEL is acceptable by local, regional,
and international markets and to secure funding for long-term
operation; 4) Ensure the ATEL implementation is synergized with
current traceability initiatives in the region, as well as harmonize
with existing regional cooperation, standards, and guidelines; 5)
Develop Road Map to ensure that ATEL preparation and imple-
mentation will be effective and adaptable based on the need of
ASEAN member-states.
Tuna is considered as one of the most commercially-viable
fishes in the market. Because of its high demand, Tuna stocks
are being overfished. This problem should be given serious at-
tention and a sustainable fisheries management should be fully
implemented. This condition is also recognized by Tuna-produc-
ing countries, especially the ASEAN member-states.
To counter these alarming incidents, the development of
ATEL has been instituted to meet the requirements relating to
environmental protection. This labelling scheme guarantees
that Tuna resources are harvested responsibly while at the same
time, comply with market demands. This tool also aims to create
an improved standardization of products originating from ASE-
AN countries, rightfully assuring that said products obtain high-
ly-competitive values in the market. This is achieved by providing
consumers with informed choices on the seafood products they
purchase.
and lessons learned during the development and testing of the Phil-
ippine eCDTS. The presentation highlighted the full and strong en-
gagement of both the government (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources) and the industry to the eCDTS project. Both partners de-
sire to successfully implement the program.
The USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership is a five-year pro-
gram aimed at strengthening regional cooperation to combat Illegal,
Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, promote sustainable
fisheries, and conserve marine biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region
through the development of an electronic Catch Documentation
and Traceability System. USAID Oceans closely works with industry
partners in the design, implementation, testing, replication, and
scaling phases to ensure that the solutions align with industry bot-
tom lines.
In October 2017, USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership part-
nered with SFFAII to pilot the development and implementation of
an eCDTS in General Santos City.
The Mananagat Chronicle | 9

USAID Oceans Corner
USAID Oceans and Fisheries Partnership
Since 2017, SFFAII has been working with the USAID Oceans
and Fisheries Partnership (USAID Oceans) as a program grantee
supporting the development and implementation of an elec-
tronic catch documentation and traceability system (eCDTS) in
the program’s General Santos City learning site. Working closely
with the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR), the partners have made great progress in bringing fish-
eries traceability online on the Philippines—both with small- and
large-scale industry partners.
Support of the BFAR eCDTS
In 2017, BFAR completed development of the eCDTS, a sys-
tem designed to bridge small, medium, and large-scale fisheries
data capture tools and to integrate existing national databas-
es. The BFAR eCDTS enables supply chain actors to enter data
through web and mobile-based database modules, which are
now undergoing live, in-port testing.
BFAR and USAID Oceans kicked off live eCDTS data testing
the week of May 23, 2018, with select purse seine and hand-
line fishers, fresh frozen processors, and canning companies in
General Santos City. Live data testing is planned to be the final
step before the eCDTS is extended to USAID Oceans’ First Mover
partners for everyday use. Currently, 13 companies from the tuna
industry in General Santos City have signed on as “First Movers”
to pilot the technology.
As system testing and optimization continues, BFAR has also
begun development of a mobile application for at-sea data cap-
ture—a significant step in achieving full-chain traceability, from
point of catch to export.
Inclusion of Small-Scale Fisheries
USAID Oceans has also launched a partnership with the Fu-
turistic Aviation and Maritime Enterprise (FAME) to test small-
scale vessel monitoring devices and transponders that enable
fishers to capture traceability data at-sea. The technology ac-
knowledges the differences between small and large-scale fisher-
ies, offering technology solutions and tools to enable operations
of all sizes to easily implement traceability. In addition to data
capture, the small-scale technology also provides at-sea commu-
nication and safety features for fisherfolk.
Through the partnership, USAID Oceans and FAME will in-
stall an initial 30 transponders on small-scale First Mover vessels
in six municipalities surrounding General Santos City this August.
Through the pilot, fishers will be able to capture key traceability
data directly from the point of catch and communicate to shore
10 | The Mananagat Chronicle
through an extended cellular network created by FAME “gate-
ways” installed in municipal landing sites and custom-designed
messaging and location tracking apps. The technology will allow
the small-scale fishers to more easily meet market and reporting
requirements, as well as be equipped with increased connectivity
and safety at sea.
Harnessing Technology for more Sustainable Fisheries,
Improved Livelihoods
USAID Oceans’ traceability initiatives are closely linked with
enhanced sustainable fisheries management and planning. In
2017, USAID Oceans developed a site-based Sustainable Fisher-
ies Management Plan which it is currently working to have ad-
opted for implementation. USAID Oceans and BFAR are currently
working together to explore the linkages between the program’s
learning site plan and the National Tuna Management Plan.
To further enhance fisheries management planning, in July,
USAID Oceans announced a new grant opportunity to partners
to support operationalization of eCDTS-collected data to inform
fisheries management. The Request for Applications is expected
to launch in September 2018.
This announcement comes on the heels of USAID Oceans’
July grant award to the National Network on Women in Fisheries
(WinFish) to implement gender equity interventions in the Gen-
eral Santos City learning site. Through the grant, USAID Oceans
will continue to work with national and local partners to encour-
age the collection of a recommended set of human welfare key
data elements through the eCDTS and support gender equitable
supply chains, including through the involvement of women in
eCDTS design and data collection.
About USAID Oceans
USAID Oceans is a five-year, regional United States
Agency for International Development-funded project
that works in collaboration with the Southeast Asia Fish-
eries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and through the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the
Philippines. To learn more, visit www.seafdec-oceans-
partnership.org.
Philippine Team joins 14th WCPFC
Science Committee Meeting in Busan
Delegates attending the 14th WCPFC Science Committee meeting on August
8-16, 2018 in Busan, South Korea.
The Philippines sent a delegation to the Western and Central
Pacific Ocean Commission (WCPFC) Science Committee (SC) meet-
ing held on August 8-16, 2018 in Busan, South Korea. The Philippine
delegation was led by Rafael Ramiscal of the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources. SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied
Industries, Inc. Executive Director Rosanna Bernadette Contreras
was also part of the delegation.
The SC is one of four (4) subsidiary bodies that supports the
work of the WCPFC. It meets in advance in preparation for the an-
nual meeting which is regularly set every December. The SC ensures
that the Commission has the best available scientific information
on the most appropriate conservation and management measures.
Moreover, it utilizes the services of expert fisheries scientists during
its scheduled meetings. It also coordinates with the Technical and
Compliance Committee on certain technical and administrative
matters to ensure that consistent advice is provided to the WCPFC.
In 2017, it was reported that provisional Tuna catch in the West-
ern and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) reached a total of 2,539,950
metric tons, significantly posting a decrease, making it the lowest
catch in the last six (6) years. WCPO Tuna catch represents 54%
of global Tuna catch. Although 2017 purse seine catch is relative-
ly the same as 2016 figures with pole and line and other fisheries
reporting a decrease in catch at 7% and 13% respectively, long line
fishery posted a 9% increase. Skipjack comprising 64% of the catch
dropped, the lowest since 2011. Yellowfin Tuna is at record high at
26%. Bigeye Tuna is down at 5%. Albacore at 5% is close to its 10-
year average.
While there is a reported decrease in Tuna catch volume, the
value of Tuna is estimated to increase by 12% at US$5.84 billion
in 2017. This is largely attributed to the 24% increase in the price
of skipjack and yellowfin Tuna derived from purse seine fishery in
2017.
SFFAII launches 1st... From page 1
Drone shot of Market 1, General Santos City Fish Port.
The success stories of many Mananagat (fishermen) who
reaped and continue to reap, the riches of our God-given seas,
serve as an inspiration to those who dream and strive for a better
life. Their contributions are notable and their vision as leaders have
impacted so many lives in the city, the region, and the country in
general.
Indeed, fishing has become a culture all its own in General San-
tos City, a city embedded in the fishing industry. The challenge then
is how to capture all these unique stories to ensure that their value
will be preserved, increased, and not diminished in time. “Tuna: At
the Heart of General Santos”, a coffee table book published by SF-
FAII fittingly documents these stories while capturing in photos the
colorful goings-on in the Fish Port and the related industries bour-
geoning from the Tuna Industry. We hope that with this coffee table
book we have started the momentum and the local government
unit of General Santos and the academia will follow by publishing
suitable academic books that will form part of the educational ma-
terials for use of our K12 and college students. For after all, “A peo-
ple without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is
like a tree without roots”, says Marcus Garvey.
We hope you will enjoy reading the coffee table book as much
as we enjoyed doing it!
“Tuna: At the Heart of General Santos” is available at a re-
tail price of Php 1,250.00 per copy and a wholesale price of Php
1,000.00 each for a bulk purchase of at least ten (10) copies. A book
stall will display the coffee table books at SM City General Santos,
venue of the 20th National Tuna Congress. You may also contact
SFFAII at Tel. Nos. 0835529736 and 0838261042 and look for MJ
Sapalo-Villegas.
The Mananagat Chronicle | 11
 Int’l. conference pushes traceable
and sustainable global Tuna market

TUNA 2018 BANGKOK. Delegates attending the 15th INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference & Exhibition held on May 28-30, 2018 at Shangri-La Hotel
in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 15TH INFOFISH World Tuna Trade Conference and
Exhibition held on May 28-30, 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand,
gathered more than six hundred (600) major Tuna industry
players and stakeholders all over the world. The said event
took a closer look at the latest developments affecting the
global and regional Tuna industries. It also discussed the
present challenges and opportunities on creating a socially,
economically, and environmentally-sustainable global Tuna
market.
The event featured an exhibition which gave the partici-
pating companies and organizations the opportunity to show-
case their products, equipment, machineries, and services
related to the industry.
SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Indus-
tries, Inc. participated in the said conference.

“Braving Challenges: Towards a Traceable and Sustain-

About INFOFISH
able Tuna Industry” is this year’s conference theme. The said
INFOFISH is the leading source of marketing support
conference covered topics on sustainability, eco labelling and
for fish producers and exporters. Since 1987, it is an Inter-
environmental issues, markets and marketing, products and
governmental Organization providing marketing informa-
quality developments, new technology and trend, and food
tion and technical advisory services to the fishery industry
safety. Moreover, deliberations in the conference revolved
of the Asia- Pacific region. INFOFISH is the leading source of
around the key concepts of sustainability both above and
marketing support for fish producers and exporters in the
below the water level, innovation in markets, products and
Asia-Pacific by organizing exhibitions, conferences, work-
harvesting, and development of partnerships in the next five
shops, seminars, and training programs. (INFOFISH.ORG)
(5) to ten (10) years. Concepts on social responsibility, human
rights, and gender sensitivity and equity in the Tuna fisheries
were also highlighted during the discussions.

12 | The Mananagat Chronicle