SUPPORTING the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental’s plan to commercialize and improve the tuna industry in Governor Generoso, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Davao Region had already given away 20 bancas intended for tuna fishing in the coastal communities of the municipality as of last year.
During the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao held on Monday, June 25, BFAR-Davao Regional Director Fatma Idris said instead of the usual 21-footer bancas that they give out to the fisherfolks in the coastal communities in the region, they have given out 30-footer bancas to the fisherfolks in Governor Generoso for tuna fishing.
“Governor Generoso is facing the Pacific Ocean. This is what we call the tuna highway. There are many bariles swimming there. Because the waves there are bigger, we don’t distribute 21-footer bancas, we have given 30-footer bancas. That can cater to the tuna fishing,” said Idris.
She added that as of last year, they have already given out 20 30-footer bancas for the fisherfolks under the congressional district of Congressman Joel Mayo Almario. BFAR currently has a target of distributing 50 units of 30-footer bancas per congressional district by the end of the current administration’s term.
Aside from this, Idris said they support the tuna industry of Governer Genoroso by reaching out to unregistered commercial vessels with catches that already exceed 3 gross tons.
“If they are not registered, of course, there will be a violation. As a regulatory body, we are the ones going to their places to have them registered. We have mobile registration that can cater to them,” Idris said.
In an earlier press conference with Provincial Governor’s Office chief of staff Ednar Dayanghirang, he said they want to further scale up commercial tuna fishing in the municipality. They plan to do it by capacitating their fisherfolks through providing them with lantangan. A lantangan, costing around P2.5 million each unit, is a huge fishing vessel measuring 80 feet long and comes with 20 to 40 smaller fishing boats. These smaller boats, when at sea, sail away from the mother boat and fish for tuna separately. A single lantangan can have 15 to 20 workers inside.
On top of these, Dayanghirang said they also have plans of establishing a fishport in Governor Generoso where currently there are about 5 to 6 fishing private companies.