Bottled sardines industry in Zamboanga City has agreed to suspend the production because of the lack of sardine supply as the stocks are depleting. Michael C. Cases, president of Inglass Sardines of Dipolog Association, or ISDA, said the suspension of operation is expected until December when the spawning season of sardines has passed. It is true that bottled sardines manufacturers are purely dependent on ordinary fishermen.
Cases told that with the suspension of production most of the manufacturers have declined to accept orders from clients abroad and from the domestic market. He told that at present fisherfolk can hardly supply us even a ton of sardines. The Department of Trade and Industry’s provincial office in Zamboanga del Norte said the industry comprises mostly home-based and small-scale processors.
It is fact that the bottled sardines industry can generate at least P49 million in foreign sales and P6 million in domestic sales. However, with the depleting supply of sardines, the industry is expected to lose half of its annual income, says Cases. According to the manufacturers over-fishing, the intrusion of big commercial fishing vessels in their municipal waters, and illegal fishing are the main reason for the depleting sardines stocks.
Joseph Cidro Florig, provincial fisheries director, echoed the manufacturer’s reason saying that his office is ill-equipped to guard the 400-kilometer provincial coastline. Cases told that they are banking on funds from the Export Development Council, which is now looking at a proposal for a P24-million worth of cold storage facility in support of bottled sardines manufacturing.
