The fishermen of southern Philippines failed to catch more tuna fish to meet the increasing demand. The catch of tuna has dwindled for the first time in 2007. The fishermen go to sea for days but get only two or three tuna fish. As Philippines is the world’s fourth largest tuna producer, the sudden plunge affect its economy. The government has spend large amount, USD 56 million, in building fish port at its natural harbour. The country has eight tuna canneries and six of them are now at General Santos City. Now the fishermen used huge nets and Purse seiner boats that help to scoop up fish by the score.
Carlos Puno, captain of a boat, said that the boat came back from a 32-day fishing trip with only 48 tuna fish which means one-sixth the capacity of its hold. He added that the catch went down drastically last year. “It is the first time we find that tuna fish do not bite incomparable to previous years.” He says he lost money this time as the provisions were running out and the tuna fish were harder to find.
The reason might be global warming. Domingo Teng, owns one of the biggest fishing fleets in General Santos, states that in 2007 the tuna catch was about five percent less than the 400,000 tonnes in 2006. He added, “as the weather become hot the tuna go deeper and are difficult to catch.” But John Heitz, a former US Peace Corps volunteer, blamed over-fishing for dwindling catch of tuna fish.
