Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) joins various fishing stakeholders in discussing the tuna species unloading during the 16th PTUNASTAT Annual Catch Estimates Review Workshop organized by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) on May 25 to 26, 2023, held at Legazpi City, Albay.

The annual workshop aims to create harmonized catch estimate data from agencies that extract landed tuna species. Consequently, the result of the review shall be the basis for improving fisheries-specific management policies, programs, and decision-making.

During the forum, the PFDA and other agencies presented all relative landed tuna species extracted within their respective mandates and fishing grounds in 2022. Afterward, the participants proposed that the accuracy in extracting data is vital due to its substantial factor for future tuna projections.

At the end of the discussion, the West Pacific East Asia Project – Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WPEA-WCPFC) Secretariat presented the recommendations for next year’s presentation, which includes further intensification and harmonization of the tuna catch reporting of all relevant parties. 

Representatives from PFDA – Davao Fish Port Complex (PFDA-DFPC), PFDA – General Santos Fish Port Complex (PFDA-GSFPC), PFDA – Navotas Fish Port Complex (PFDA-NFPC), NFRDI, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP), SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Fishing, and West Pacific East Asia (WPEA) Project actively participated in the two-day workshop. 

(Mark Angelo N. Perez – Public Information Division with reports and photos from Kenneth A. Quindao – PFDA-DFPC)