BFAR main purpose of such boost is to produce more tuna fishers instead of hunters. Initially the proposal received lukewarm response from local government and tuna industry leaders here, stressing that tuna ranching is not suitable to the country’s waters. But experts believe that such proposal is very much in the interest of tuna industry of Philippines.
Agriculture Undersecretary Jesus Emmanuel M. Paras said that starting a blue fin tuna management programme is being seriously considered with the possible help of the Spanish government. Marfenio Y. Tan, president of the Socksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc., informed that tuna culturing would not be feasible in Philippine waters.
Tan, who owns various purse seine vessels, said. Sea ranching of blue fin, a high-value tuna species, has been taking place in Italy, Algeria, Croatia, France, Libya, Morocco and Spain. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sea ranching is a “cause of concern,” since it involves using juvenile fish as “seed stock” in tuna-fattening operations.
It is said that sea-ranching or captured-based aquaculture is a practice in which tuna are caught in the wild and then penned and fattened using aquaculture techniques prior to harvesting. Tan believe that culturing yellow fin tuna wouldn’t be a hit in the country, as it would be an expensive venture. Ms. Custodio also echoed saying that no successful breeding of yellow fin has been achieved so far in the country.
