Tales of a tuna fisher: Ensuring a food-secure future by taking care of our fishermen

Fifty-year-old tuna fisher Juan Abuela used to find luck fishing within the Lagonoy Gulf, using a paddle boat, he would ferry only a few meters away from the shore. Before, it would not take long to catch tuna large enough to secure a sizable profit.

As he aged, the sea started to change; a few meters assured no fish. Eventually, he had to trade his paddle boat for a more expensive motorized one that could withstand farther, rougher waters. Warming oceans have also been driving migration patterns to colder waters in the Pacific, making tuna even scarcer.

Juan, like many of his cohorts, would rely on the casa, or middleman, to finance the rising costs of his fishing operations, which often go as high as P40,000 a month. Casas settle loans by slashing a percentage from the tuna’s original selling price. Fishers can accumulate debts as steep as P50,000 in a season. Government fishing regulations also incur costs. Fishers, who already have trouble affording their operations, forgo the renewal of their licenses.

The expectation for fishers to value the long-term economic benefits of sustainable fishing comes at a cost. Those who earn day-to-day do not have the means to sustain this cost or even spare the privilege of foresight.

Sustainable fishing can only be achieved if we first address the fishers’ immediate need for survival. Local government units (LGUs) should revisit and update licensing schemes that both ease the financial strain on fishers and sustain internal revenues. The national government should mandate LGUs with shared seascapes to have unified municipal fisheries ordinances (MFOs). Unified MFOs can allow municipal fishers who use selective gear and target migratory species, such as tuna, to operate across jurisdictions. Municipal catch guidelines should also be mandatory and include incentives across the industry.

World Wide Fund for Nature-Philippines piloted the “Catch to Cash” project to test if fiscal incentives could improve compliance among municipal tuna handline fisherfolk. In partnership with Fame Inc., we installed transponder devices on 50 fishing vessels in the Lagonoy Gulf that make catch reporting easier for fishers. The fishers also receive incentives for every kilogram of recorded catch; they have earned as much as P7,000 per quarter.

The project proves effective in addressing persistent issues in our fisheries. Automated fish catch reports make it easier to track stock patterns in an area, which can support management plans. The transponders also act as SOS devices, for fishers to call for reinforcements if issues arise. It also promotes an inclusive supply chain by encouraging processors to finance the incentives.

Processors need reliable data to attract retailers who offer premiums for traceable and sustainably caught fish.

We managed to run the system in the financially deficient municipal fisheries of Lagonoy Gulf. We encourage the commercial fisheries industry to follow suit.Like the other beneficiaries, Juan used his incentives from “Catch to Cash” to finance household necessities, fishing operations, and licensing fees. But the project is not the only support he needs long-term.

For fishers like Juan, fishing is only a means to survive, a path he aspires his children not to pursue. “Gusto ko matapos ang pag-aaral ng mga anak ko para mabago ang buhay nila. Mahirap maging mangingisda dahil mahina ang kita sa dagat.”

Fish comprises over 40 kilograms of per capita consumption in the country yearly, making it the primary protein in the Filipino diet. But those on whom we depend for fish find fishing a dead-end. If we do not ensure their economic security, we risk losing access to the food we rely on to survive. Sustainability is, at its core, an appeal to humanity: We ensure a food-secure future by uplifting the stewards of the resources we advocate to protect.

Joann Binondo, program manager, WWF-Philippines