I read your article on the tuna fishing ban in high seas area and how this is hurting fishing companies and their workers. Your article, like most of the others written lately on the subject is mostly false and filled with misconceptions and lies.

 

I have worked in the tuna fishing business for 25 years in Gensan, Hawaii and Guam. I would like to correct some facts and express some of my opinions on the past and present tuna situation in Gensan.

 

First, the high seas fishing ban is good and positive first step in helping to conserve tuna and to assure the long term health and success of tuna fishing companies. In implementing this ban, many Pacific area countries, fishing companies of many nations, NGOs and others have worked together in a positive manner.

 

It does not effect negatively 99.9 percent of our Pilipino fishermen. In fact the ban will benefit 100 percent of our Pilipino fishermen and all other fishermen in the Western Pacific area.

 

Only a few large tuna purse seine companies from Gensan have ever fished in the international water areas closed now by the ban to purse seine fishing. Some fishing companies and their owners are blaming the fishing ban for their current troubles and not the real reasons.

 

I would like to express my opinion on what is the real reason why the Gensan tuna fishing industry is under going problems.

 

The major problem as I see it is that for the last 20 years or more the Gensan tuna purse seine companies have been overfishing to the negative effect on the vast majority of small time local fishermen. The purse seine companies deploy fads, locally know as payaos. These fads are a very effective way of attracting and catching tuna. In fact fads are too effective. If fads are not managed properly, they can destroy tuna stocks. 

 

Also most of the Gensan fishing companies still fishing in Philippine waters use illegal small mess nets. These are nets with mess size less than 3 inches. BFAR has declared these size nets illegal in FAO 226. This order is to help prevent over fishing and the catching of small juvenile tuna. However neither the BFAR or local fishing companies are following this order.

 

The BFAR has no true tuna management plan. Their plan is to send as many fishing boats as possible to other counties waters because they have over fished the Philippine waters already.

 

Also tuna fishing has been effectived adversely by the current El Nino effect in the Pacific. This effects and changes the tuna depth and migrating patterns. This has exasperated this year the effect of years of over fishing. Fish catches should improve by mid year 2010 as the El Nino effect dissipates.

 

The Philippines along with Indonesia needs to implement a tuna management plan for the Suluwesi Sea area. This plan should include areas reserved exclusively for small time hand line fishing that is the most eco freindly and sustainable method of tuna fishing. The plan should designate areas for purse seine tuna fishing using legal size nets along with proper fad management. There should also be an area where all fishing is banned. This would give tuna and the people that benefit from it a better future.

 

The Gensan fishing companies need to stop complaining and start cooperating. You stated how DOLE gave financial aid to the Damelario fishing company and their employees. They did not mention that that fishing company is currently expanding their fishing operations to the Soloman Islands.

 

Most of the Gensan purse seine tuna fishing companies do not fish in Philippine waters anymore. This is because the Philippine waters have been mostly fished out. They can not make money anymore fishing here. That is why for the last 10 to 20 years they have been fishing both legally and illegally in Indonesia, Palau and Papua. In the last two years or so these countries, mostly Indonesia, have decided that the Philippine companies and boats have gone too far. That is why they have become strict in protecting their national waters and fishing grounds to illegal fishing and boats. They welcome fishing companies to invest in their countries but not to poach.

 

The international waters fishing ban is a very positive development for the tuna fishing industry. Please do not make it a scapegoat. Also report please on the positive aspects of the fishing ban.

 

Please contact me anytime if you would like to learn more about the real situation regarding the Gensan tuna industry. I am willing to back up my opinions and facts anytime and with anyone.