Dwindling of Yellow Fin Tuna in Lagonoy Gulf Noted

PILI, CAMARINES SUR - THE HIGHLY PRIZED YELLOW FIN TUNA, locally known as "Kiyawon"  and traditionally considered as the best quality of the four "Bangkulis" or tuna fish specie found particularly in Lagonoy Gulf in this province, has been reported by a monitoring office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to have dwindled in number based on the August and September catch by fishermen in the Nato, Sangay and Sabang, San Jose towns.

 

The National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP), asst. project leader Mayet Calacal, revealed that based on the monitoring of NSAP personnel in four landing sites in Cam. Sur, Sugod, Tiwi, Albay and Tabaco City Pier, only 8,529.65 kilos of Yellown Fin were caught in August; and a slight increase of 17,336.8 kgs. were caught in Sept.

 

Meanwhile another variety of Tuna, the "Iliwon" or known as "Thunnus Alalunga" by its scientific name, were mostly caught in Albay and in the two fishermen landings in Partido, reaching 52, 585.09 kilos last September

 

Calacal said the Yellow Fin's pinkish meat commands a price of P 120 to P 150 pesos per/kg at retail prices, while the "Iliwon's" white meat is priced lower at P 60.00 to P 80.00 per/kg.

 

Local fishermen who catch Tuna using hook-lines have wondered why the number of Yellow Fin dwindled this year when this had never happened for the last ten-years of monitoring fish catch in Bikol waters, the NSAP claimed.

 

Calacal relates that BFAR experts are now saying that fish migration in the Pacific Ocean, where the Lagonoy Gulf fish migration comes, is now affected by climate change while the sea currents affected by strong typhoons entering the country is also changing the pattern of fish migration.

 

Calacal also said NSAP is coming out with a study on the variety of fish-catch in Bikol including some disappearing fish species in the last 10-years.

 

Meanwhile, fish-cage owners at the 500-hectare Mariculture zone in Sangay, Cam. Sur have appealed to the national government to aid in the rehabilitation of the Mariculture zone, which has significantly improved fish production and the income of local aqua-culture entrepreneurs in this locality.

 

The Mariculture zone started by the BFAR and the local government in 2007 was reported to have sustained heavy damages during the heavy rains brought by tropical storm "Pepeng" last week. (SONNY SALES)