The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) in cooperation with the National Stock Assessment Project (NSAP) of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City (SOCCSKSARGEN) is conducting a one-year biological study of the three top export tuna species--yellowfin, big-eye and skipjack--in Philippine waters.
The biological study, which recently started will run until August 2011, is aimed to determine the length at first capture and spawning seasons of the three tuna species to include sexual maturity determination, sex ratios, age and length composition and length-weight relationship-- significant data in stock assessment.
NFRDI Marine Fisheries Research Division Project head Eunice Bognot said the one-year study is being conducted in 10 consecutive days every month both in municipal and commercial waters.
Bognot said they will conduct biological samplings, dissect species and measure the fish in order to determine the length, weight and sexual maturity stages of yellowfin, big-eye and skipjack tuna.
BFAR SOCCSKSARGEN Director Sani Macabalang said the one-year biological study is the commitment of the Bureau to the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) on the proper regulations, protection and management of tuna resources.
The WCPFC has declared a two-year fishing ban, starting this year, on tuna purse seiners to allow the dwindling tuna stocks to regenerate.
Macabalang said that data gathered by the Regional Administrative Support and Product Certification Unit of BFAR SOCCSKSARGEN that 34 million kilograms of frozen whole round tuna, pouched and canned tuna products were exported to the European Union markets from January to June this year alone.
RASPCU in-charge Eugene Casas noted a 25 percent decrease in fishery products exported to the EU markets compared to the last five years.
Macabalang lauded the efforts of the tuna industry in SOCCSKSARGEN for their genuine cooperation especially in providing tuna samples such as gonads for the entire study.
“Our tuna resources are in a critical stage now. This is purposely the basis of this study. But the gain that we can get from this is beyond WCPFC’s two-year ban,†Macabalang said.
“This study is to strengthen our tuna industry that constitutes more than 2 million of the total Mindanao exports in 2009,†Macabalang added. (PNA)
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