Republic of the Philippines

Department of Science and Technology

Philippine Science High School System
PHILIPPINE SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL – SOCCSKSARGEN REGION CAMPUS
Brgy. Paraiso, Koronadal City, South Cotabato
09988623518
src.pshs.edu.ph

Pursuit of Truth Passion for Excellence Commitment to Service

CASE STUDY ON THE TUNA INDUSTRY IN REGION 12, PHILIPPINES

By:

Aduana, Julienne
Cantomayor, Andreah Keilah
Estomata, Angel Mae
Gigataras, Clarisse
Velasco, Art Moises

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Biology 4,2nd Quarter,

SY 2020 – 2021 at the Philippine Science High School – SOCCSKSARGEN Region
Campus, Brgy. Parasio, Koronadal City, South Cotabato

To:

Phoebe Kates Tumamac

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

With a deep sense of gratitude the investigators acknowledge all those who contributed
significantly towards the successful completion of this case study.
The investigators are highly grateful to our Biology Adviser, Ms. Phoebe Kates
Tumamac of PSHS-SRC, for her cordial and considerate attitude, valuable suggestions, and
cooperation right from the inception of the assessment, which have helped us in the completion
of our case study.
The investigators owe their special and deepest thanks to their friends and colleagues
for their immense help and moral support.

Heartfelt thanks to investigators’ parents for providing them with their constant support,
understanding, attitude, care and patience that can never be repaid.

Above all, the investigators would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to God almighty
for blessing them with the strength and ability to undertake and complete this thesis.

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The Philippines is an archipelagic country with over 7,641 islands, 226,000 square
kilometers of coastlines, and 1.93 million square kilometers of oceanic waters. It is a fast-
growing economy in the ASEAN region, fueled by services and a rising manufacturing sector.
The Philippine fishing industry accounts for 17.8% of the agricultural, fisheries, and
forestry sector's total gross value added. It actively employs roughly 1.4 million of the
country's 39.8 million employees, and it indirectly supports over 30,000 people who work in
seafood processing, storage, and canning. The Philippines, which ranked seventh among the
world's top fish-producing countries in 2013, has immense marine resources that, if properly
managed, may significantly contribute to more economic development.
Since the 1970s, the Philippines has been a major tuna producer. After China, Japan, and
Indonesia, the Philippines ranked fourth in the world in terms of production of tuna and related
species in 2003. It is a close second to Indonesia in terms of tuna production in the Western
Central Pacific, accounting for 22% of the total catch in the region (FAOSTAT, 2005). Among
different kinds of marine resources, tuna fish can be caught all over the Philippines' waters,
where the Moro Gulf/Celebes Sea, the Sulu Sea, and the South China Sea are the country's
major production areas. Tuna fishermen are also known to exploit fishing grounds in
Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, as well as the Philippines.
Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna
(T. obesus), eastern little tuna (Euthynnus affinis), frigate tuna (Auxis thazard), and bullet tuna
(Euthynnus affinis) are the most common tuna species in the Philippines (A. rochei). Purse
seines and ringnets are the most common gear used by commercial fishermen to catch these
tuna species, while municipal fishermen use hook-and-line or handlines. Fish aggregating
devices (FAD), also known as payao in the Philippines, are used in conjunction with all of
these gears. Skipjack and yellowfin tuna can be found year-round in all Philippine waters, but
they are particularly abundant off the coast of Mindanao in the Moro Gulf, Sulu Sea, and
Sulawesi Sea. In General Santos City, where seven of the nine tuna canneries are located, large

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

numbers of these species are landed (Bigelow et al., 1970).

Figure 1 shows the official estimate of total tuna production by sector. From 2002
onwards, tuna production increased dramatically, largely due to commercial fishermen's
efforts. However, only 40% of tuna landings in Region 12, where General Santos City is
located, were reported for tax purposes in 2003, according to estimates (Estabillo, 2005). It's
possible, then, that the increased use of the General Santos City Fish Port Complex (GSCFPC)
in recent years is to blame for the sudden increase in commercial tuna production. It's also
unclear how much of the reported catch was caught in waters other than those of the
Philippines. However, in recent years, the gap between official figures and best estimates from
various local and international organizations has narrowed (SPC, 2004)

Figure 1. Overall Tuna Production by Sector, 1995-2004

In terms of volume (117,909 metric tonnes) and value (free on board value of US$443
million), tuna was the Philippines' top fishery export in 2014. Seaweed, shrimp and prawn,
crab and crab meat, octopus, and other seafood make up 37% of the country's total fishery

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

exports (Figure 2). The United States, Japan, Indonesia, and EU members such as France,
Germany, and the United Kingdom are the main destinations for fresh, chilled, and frozen tuna
exports. The major export markets for prepared and/or processed tuna are the United States,
Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the Netherlands.

Figure 2. Major Fishery Export Products, 2014

At 4.35 kilogrammes of consumption per capita per year in 2014, tuna ranked the
highest amongst fish products consumed locally (Table 1). It is an important source of protein
for many households.

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 Table 1. Per Capita Fish Consumption, 2014

Objectives of the Study

This case study aims to examine the Tuna fishing Industry in Region 12, Philippines,
mainly focusing on the economic and environmental factors that affect and contribute to Tuna
fish production in said locality.

Specifically, this research aims to:

1. Identify diseases and environmental concerns affecting the tuna population and
production in Region 12, Philippines.
2. Identify and discuss various conservation and management strategies utilized by local
fishermen for tuna fish production.
3. Examine the economic and environmental significance of tuna fish production for the
residents of Region 12 and their livelihoods.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will contribute greatly to understanding the economic,
environmental, and societal factors involved in the tuna fishing industry of Region 12,
Philippines. Considering the significance of tuna fishing in the local economy, this study can be

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

used to aid small and large-scale fisheries to identify the possible challenges and opportunities
that they may encounter involving tuna production, helping them improve their livelihoods and
food security in the process.
In macroscale, this case study will help marine-based industries and researchers
identify and analyze long-term patterns and ecological changes found in the local tuna
population, alarming experts of possible environmental or man-made triggers that may
endanger aquatic life found along the Sarangani coastline.

METHODOLOGY

The researchers first identified which economically significant organism will be

analyzed for this case study. Considering the significance of tuna fishing in the country
(particularly in Southern Mindanao), the tuna fish was chosen as the topic animal/organism
with the locality focused on Region 12.
Due to limited resources and time in conducting the study, the researchers collected
data from published online resources. The researchers looked online and found several studies
determining key challenges and threats facing the tuna population in the Philippines as well as
the fishing practices and management methods used by local fishermen for tuna fish
production. Among other published resources, the researchers found the study of Hipolito and
Vera (2006) entitled “The Philippines tuna industry: a profile” useful as it provided ample
details regarding the current status of the national tuna fishing industry and other pertinent
information.
After gathering data from online resources, the researchers then identified the known
diseases and external concerns affecting the tuna population particularly in Region 12 and
examined the relevance of fishing processes practiced by farmers for safe and efficient fishing.

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 The economic and ecological importance of tuna fishing for the locality were then discussed,
analyzed, and reported.

Figure 3. Methodology Flowchart

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Tuna Consumption in Region 12

According to Table 1, tuna (all species) was consumed in greater quantities per year, at
5.11 kilograms per year. In the region, it is the second most consumed fish, after Tilapia, at
5.92 kg. It was Cotabato's 40% lower consumption of tuna (all species) that contributed to the
minimal decrease in consumption. Sarangani was the top consumer of Tuna (all species) at
8.57 kilograms (PSA,2017).

Table 2. Per Capita Consumption of Fish and Marine Products, All Barangays, Region XII, 2012 and
2015

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

Tuna Production in Region 12

The Philippines is among the top producers of tuna in the world and in 2013, fishing
ports across the country landed 354,222 mt of large tunas (skipjack, yellowfin, and bigeye).
Commercial fishing accounted for 73.8 percent, including tuna captured in foreign waters,
while municipal fishing accounted for 26.2 percent ("Updates on our tuna industry," 2020).
Moreover, tuna goods (fresh, chilled, frozen, smoked, dried, or canned) were the top exported
commodities in 2018, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with a
volume of 171,452 t valued at more than US$ 492 million (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources, 2018).
Out of 21 tuna species that have been recorded in the Philippines, only 6 are caught in
commercial quantity such as the: yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), skipjack (Katsuwonus
pelamis), eastern tiny tuna (Euthynnus affinis), frigate (Auxis thazard), big eye (Thunnus
obesus), and bullet (Auxis rochei); however, of 6 species, only four species, yellowfin,
skipjack, eastern tiny tuna or kawakawa, and frigate tuna, account for the majority of catches
and are recorded in Philippine fisheries catch statistics (Pomeroy et al., 2014).
According to Aguilar (2004), Tuna is caught in domestic and international fishing
grounds using ring nets, purse seines, hand lines, and long lines by either municipal fishing
vessels (motorized or non-motorized) or commercial fishing vessels (small scale (3.1 to 20
gross tonnes (GT) in weight), medium scale (20.1 to 150 GT), and large scale (over 150 GT)).
Since there is an area within 15 kilometers of the shoreline allocated for municipal fishing
according to Republic Act 8550 and the Local Government Code of 1991, commercial fishing
vessels are prohibited from it. Municipal fishing is defined as fishing in municipal waters with

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

fishing vessels of no more than 3 GT.
The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority, a government organization, manages
eight centers where about 42 percent of the entire commercial fish catch is landed. Meanwhile,
General Santos City has six tuna canneries, and Zamboanga has one, both of which are on
Mindanao.
General Santos City is located along the “tuna highway”, which stretches from the
Indian Ocean to the Pacific Western and Central Ocean. Specifically, it is near the tuna-rich
fishing grounds of Sulu Sea, Moro Gulf, and the Mindanao and Celebes Seas. Given that the
majority of the catch landing in General Santos City's port, the Philippines is Asia's second-
largest producer of canned and processed tuna, after Thailand (“LEARNING SITE:
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, PHILIPPINES”, n.d.). The General Santos Fish Port Complex in
Mindanao, which is an internationally recognized and certified port by the European Union
(EU), Japan, and the United States, is the main tuna landing port and the primary center of
Region XII’s fishing industry. This complex was responsible for 34% of the tuna catch in
2015. In East Asia Growth Area (EAGA), the operationalization of the General Santos Fish
Port Complex (GSFPC) is significant because it is the main post-harvest fishing infrastructure
in Mindanao. GSFPC has a 1680-meter landing/preparation area, six -35°C cold storage units
with 300 metric tons each, a brine freezer with a capacity of 4 tons per day, a 60-tonner ice
plant, and a brine freezer with a capacity of 4 tons per day (Lining, 2016).
Economic-wise, tuna or a tuna-like species accounted for over 89 percent of the
1,012,488 metric tons of total landed fish in General Santos City between 2008 and 2014.
Furthermore, 200,000 tons of tuna were landed in General Santos City in 2014, a number that
continues to rise year after year (“LEARNING SITE: GENERAL SANTOS CITY,
PHILIPPINES”, n.d.). Skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna, round scad, and bullet tuna were among
the main species exported at the fish port in 2018. In the same year, the average number of
boats arriving at port each day was over 40, with the majority of them fishing within the
Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and from as far as the high seas regions of the
Western and Central Pacific Ocean.
With P18 billion in commercial production, or 31% of the national total, Region 12
remained the country's top fish producer. Tuna accounted for 87% of the fish products

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

unloaded at the General Santos City Fishport in 2017 amounting to 210,761 metric tons (MT).
Philippine-flagged vessels accounted for 53% of the total. Region 12 has the second-largest
commercial fishing fleet at 1,957 vessels, after the National Capital Region, which has 3,550,
according data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Nicolas, 2018).
In the second quarter of 2020, the SOCCSKSARGEN Region produced 92,470 metric
tons of fish, up 24.0 percent from the same period in 2019. By comparison to last year, only
South Cotabato has seen an increase in production compared to the same period last year.
During the review period, South Cotabato accounted for 93.8 percent of the total regional
fisheries production at 86,702 metric tons 2) (PSA,2020).

Figure 3. Percentage Distribution of Top Species to

the Total Commercial Fisheries Volume of
Production, SOCCSKSARGEN Region: 2nd Quarter
2020

Table 3. Volume of Fisheries Production by Province and Sector,

SOCCSKSARGEN Region: 2nd Quarter 2020 and 2019
Imports from commercial fishing
accounted for 92.6 percent of total regional
fisheries production in the second quarter of the
year 2020. Production from commercial fishing
increased by 29.4% to a total of 85,627 metric
tons over the same period in 2019 from 66,190

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 metric tons (PSA,2020).
In terms of commercial fishing, South Cotabato is the region's main producer. With
85,524 metric tons of commercial fisheries output in the second quarter of 2020, the province
accounted for 99.9% of the region's total output. Only Sultan Kudarat saw a 91.2 percent drop
in commercial fishing outputs out of the three provinces. Commercial fishing outputs in
Sarangani and South Cotabato increased by 58.9% and 30.5 percent, respectively (PSA,2020).
The top three on total commercial fishery catch included skipjack (gulyasan), 70.8%;
yellow fin tuna (tambakol/bariles), 19.1%; and roundscad (galunggong), 8.7% (PSA,2020).

Challenges and Issues facing the Tuna Fishing Industry in the Philippines

Critical challenges affecting fisheries in the Philippines, according to Green et al.

(2003), included open access, overfishing, neglection, habitat degradation, a lack of research
and staff capable of assessing fisheries, and so on. In recent years, the Philippines has seen a
fall in tuna supply as well as a decrease in the availability of other native fish species.
Moreover, the development of the open access approach to fisheries leads to more
opportunities of exploitation of marine resources and employment to the growing population
of the Philippines; however, this resulted in increasing fishermen catching fishes in Philippine
waters until fisheries eventually were not able to accommodate any more manpower (Israel et
al., 2016). Along with it, environmental issues, such as climate change, also contribute to
overfishing resulting in possibly poor quality of fishes being caught.
With the lack of management and regulations, it can likely lead to long-term
consequences of conservation and economic problems. Biodiversity can be adversely affected
by unregulated fishing, unregistered boats, the use of illicit fishing gear and unsustainable
fishing techniques, a lack of data and study on existing fish stocks, and difficulty in monitoring
and surveillance. On the other hand, problems in the market include increasing demand for
fish, no price regulation on fish in the local market, and under-pricing of fish by buyers or
middlemen (Parks, 2019).

Diseases that affect the Tuna Industry in South Cotabato

Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

 The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall for tuna sourced
from a Gensan firm in the Philippines, as well as in Vietnam and Indonesia after fishes tested
positive for hepatitis A. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, Hilo Fish
Company began recalling frozen tuna products sourced from Santa Cruz Seafood Inc. in the
Philippines and Sustainable Seafood Company in Vietnam on May 18 after the products tested
positive for the virus (GMA News, 2017).

Tuna Disease Prevention and Management

On May 1, the Hawaii Department of Health notified the US Food and Drug
Administration of another contaminated batch of frozen tuna sourced from Indonesia by PT
Deho Canning Co. Imported raw frozen ahi tuna cubes from PT Deho Canning Co., frozen
yellowfin tuna steaks from Sustainable Seafood Company, and yellowfin tuna cubes from
Santa Cruz Seafood are among the products that have been recalled (GMA News, 2017).
If the public believes they have been exposed to the contaminated tuna, they should
contact their health care providers. Hilo Fish Company is responsible for notifying its
customers of the recall while the agency works with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), state and local officials to assess the risk of hepatitis A exposure (GMA
News, 2017).
The CDC is unaware of any illnesses linked to the tuna at this time, however, they do
recommend post exposure prophylaxis for unvaccinated individuals who may have consumed
potentially contaminated product within the past two weeks. Post exposure prophylaxis
consists of hepatitis A vaccine for patients between the ages of 1 and 40 years old and hepatitis
A virus-specific immunoglobulin for patients outside of this age range (the hepatitis A vaccine
can be substituted if immunoglobulin is not available) (Ernst, 2019).
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Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

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Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines

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Case Study on The Tuna Industry in Region 12, Philippines