The Philippines tuna industry: a profile

Hipolito, Zarina and Vera, Cesar Allan (2006) The Philippines tuna industry: a profile. Chennai, India, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers, (SAMUDRA Monograph)

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Abstract

This study deals with the tuna industry in the Philippines, which is among the world's largest producers of tuna and tuna-like species. Centred around General Santos City, the "tuna capital of the Philippines", the tuna boom was spurred by the arrival, in the mid-1970s, of Japanese traders looking for new supplies of sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna. Interestingly, the primary producers of this high-priced, export- grade tuna are the humble handliners, small-scale fishers found in coastal communities all over the Philippines archipelago, who use passive handline gear to catch yellowfin, skipjack and bigeye tuna. Also, the use of the fish-aggregating device locally known as payao has greatly reduced the time spent for searching and catching tuna. The study also analyzes the primary post-harvest facilities and processing industries as well as the nterlinked financing and marketing sectors in the hilippines tuna industry. The discussion covers grade lassification of the catch, pricing, selling operations, nd international trade of tuna products. The study oncludes with an overview of current initiatives to manage and develop the Philippines tuna industry. (83pp.)

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