An area in Timor-Leste that approximates the one the Philippines will lose temporarily during a two-year ban on tuna fishing may be substituted, to allow Filipino fishers and canners and exporters to keep on producing.
The international ban covers an area of the Pacific ocean previously rich in tuna because it is their homewaters, but intensive commercial fishing has depleted stocks endangering tuna survival.
Malcolm Sarmiento, director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Bfar), said, “We have a bilateral agreement with Timor-Leste. I think this would approximate the area that would be lost because of the ban. We would be encouraging the private sector to avail [itself] of the privilege granted by the government of East Timor.â€
Earlier, the Soccsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Inc. projected tuna catches from purse seine fishing to decline by 10 to 20 percent with the short-term ban.
