The 11th National Tuna Congress held at Lagao, General Santos (GenSan) City last August 27-29, 2009 was entitled “Changing Mindsets toward Sustainable Fisheries.” The congress opened the week-long 11th GenSan Tuna Festival commemorating the city’s 41st Charterhood Anniversary. GenSan is known as the major exporter of the fish in the Philippines and contributes as much as sixty percent to the city's economy.
Over four hundred domestic and international delegates from various sectors attended the congress. Around 20 keynote speeches, messages and presentations were addressed. Among the invited speakers were Vice-President Noli de Castro, Senator Loren Legarda and Senator Mar Roxas.
Amid a shrinking global demand for tuna products because of the global economic crisis, the event focused on measures to ensure the appropriate management of tuna resources, including expanding industry cooperation towards responsible fisheries, and new regulations governing illegal and unregulated fishing.
The Congress adopted eight resolutions, including the Philippine tuna industry’s strong commitment towards a more responsive and conscientious tuna resource management; and requests to their government on establishing the country’s maritime boundaries and regular patrol, promoting cooperation with FFA and PNA, research on FAD closure, and creating relevant legislature for responsible and sustainable fisheries in Philippines.
Sessions on current management regimes & market trends, on investment opportunities along with the initiatives on tuna resource management, the industry’s socio-economic impact and accountability, fisheries and economic cooperation with various other industry players in the Pacific and in the BIMP-EAGA, updates on maritime boundary issues, safety and protection of property and life at sea, as well as the effects of the global financial crisis to the Philippine tuna industry were conducted.
A major highlight was the Trade Exhibit at the same venue showcasing various modern technology, and services, as well as fishery products and supplies for fishing and its allied industries, from more than 60 merchants and dealers.
The 11th National Tuna Congress was organized by Socsksargen Federation of Fishing & Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), a private-sector federation based in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, General Santos City. The members of the federation include purse seine and hand line fishing groups, canners, processors, traders and aquaculture producers who continue to advocate sustainability measures such as using nets with a larger mesh size to avoid depleting juvenile populations of tuna.
Working closely with Philippine government agencies, SFFAII played a role in the creation of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, a treaty-based organization aimed at conserving and managing tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks.
The 11th National Tuna Congress was co-presented by the City Government of General Santos, 1st Congressional District of South Cotabato, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, SOCSKSARGEN Area Development Project Office, Department of Trade & Industry, and USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program.
For more information, the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing & Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) may be reached at telefax (6383) 552 9736, (6383) 301 6543, or you may visit their website at http://www.philtuna.org.
Over four hundred domestic and international delegates from various sectors attended the congress. Around 20 keynote speeches, messages and presentations were addressed. Among the invited speakers were Vice-President Noli de Castro, Senator Loren Legarda and Senator Mar Roxas.
Amid a shrinking global demand for tuna products because of the global economic crisis, the event focused on measures to ensure the appropriate management of tuna resources, including expanding industry cooperation towards responsible fisheries, and new regulations governing illegal and unregulated fishing.
The Congress adopted eight resolutions, including the Philippine tuna industry’s strong commitment towards a more responsive and conscientious tuna resource management; and requests to their government on establishing the country’s maritime boundaries and regular patrol, promoting cooperation with FFA and PNA, research on FAD closure, and creating relevant legislature for responsible and sustainable fisheries in Philippines.
Sessions on current management regimes & market trends, on investment opportunities along with the initiatives on tuna resource management, the industry’s socio-economic impact and accountability, fisheries and economic cooperation with various other industry players in the Pacific and in the BIMP-EAGA, updates on maritime boundary issues, safety and protection of property and life at sea, as well as the effects of the global financial crisis to the Philippine tuna industry were conducted.
A major highlight was the Trade Exhibit at the same venue showcasing various modern technology, and services, as well as fishery products and supplies for fishing and its allied industries, from more than 60 merchants and dealers.
The 11th National Tuna Congress was organized by Socsksargen Federation of Fishing & Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), a private-sector federation based in the Tuna Capital of the Philippines, General Santos City. The members of the federation include purse seine and hand line fishing groups, canners, processors, traders and aquaculture producers who continue to advocate sustainability measures such as using nets with a larger mesh size to avoid depleting juvenile populations of tuna.
Working closely with Philippine government agencies, SFFAII played a role in the creation of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, a treaty-based organization aimed at conserving and managing tuna and other highly migratory fish stocks.
The 11th National Tuna Congress was co-presented by the City Government of General Santos, 1st Congressional District of South Cotabato, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, SOCSKSARGEN Area Development Project Office, Department of Trade & Industry, and USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program.
For more information, the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing & Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII) may be reached at telefax (6383) 552 9736, (6383) 301 6543, or you may visit their website at http://www.philtuna.org.
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