THE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Davao Region is still waiting for the response and action of Agriculture Undersecretary Eduardo Gonggona after they have endorsed the resolution of Davao City Councilor Conrado Baluran to increase the daily tuna allocation from the Davao Fish Port for non-exportable products.
According to BFAR Davao Regional Director Fatma Idris, the current allocation of the necessity to import tunas for distribution in Davao City wet markets is only at 3.5 metric tons (MT). This includes tunas that are fresh, frozen, chilled, and frozen tuna-like fish species. The necessity to import allocation was effective as of November 17, 2003 as issued by then Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo.
Idris said that since 2003 this allocation has yet to be changed.
Baluran's resolution proposes an increase from 3.5 MT to 20 MT.
"I think it's possible because basing on our market analysis, we have new tourist destinations and increased populations, we have seen there are many mushrooming establishments, thus the increase of our demand for fish supply," said Idris emphasizing that there the local market indeed needs more supply of tunas.
As of the first quarter of this year, there is a 24.76 percent increase in the volume of harvests of tunas in Davao City alone. According to the data by the Philippine Statistics Authority, during the first quarter of 2018, Davao City was able to harvest 159.97 MT of tunas from the 128.22 MT during the first quarter of 2017.
Out of this number, 79.7 MT are big-eye tunas (tambakol), 3.26 MT are frigate tuna (tulingan), 5.46 MT are skipjack tuna (gulyasan), and about 71.55 MT are yellowfin tunas (bariles).
