The Small-Scale Tuna Fishery in Leyte, Philippines: Fishing Gears, Practices, Catch Rate and Composition

Year 2024, Volume: 13 Issue: 4, 282 - 295

Rizalyn Masinsin Picoy-gonzales , Christian O. Reducto

https://doi.org/10.33714/masteb.1523579

Abstract

The Philippines is a significant tuna producer globally and ranks among the major tuna-fishing nations. One of the various areas where tuna fishery occurs in the country is the province of Leyte in Eastern Visayas. However, available information on the fishery in the province is limited. Thus, this study aimed to provide comprehensive information on the current status of small-scale tuna fishery in selected municipalities in Leyte, particularly on the types of fishing gears used, practices employed by fishers, and the catch rate and composition of the gears. This study used a purposive sampling method, and data were gathered through face-to-face interviews with a total of 68 small-scale tuna fishers, and actual catch sampling. The respondents’ involvement in tuna fishing ranged from 3 to 60 years with a mean of 26±13 years. A total of three different types of hook and line gear used in the fishery were recorded, namely: 1) paired troll line, 2) single troll line, and 3) single hook and line with float. The paired troll line is the most commonly used gear among tuna fishers. The mean catch per unit effort varies depending on the fishing gear type. The catch composition of the three gears based on the actual catch sampling was comprised of four tuna species including longtail tuna Thunnus tonggol (50.48%), big-eye tuna T. obesus (21.90%), eastern little tuna Euthynnus affinis (18.10%), frigate tuna Auxis thazard (3.81%), and two other species including Megalapis cordyla (3.81%) and Scomberomorus commerson (1.90%). The current major issues in the fishery include catch seasonality, illegal fishing, and border restriction.

Keywords

Small-scale tuna fishery, Fishing gears, Hook and line gears, Catch per unit effort, Species composition

Supporting Institution

This study was funded by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences - Fisheries Scholarship Program.

Thanks

The authors would like to extend their sincerest thanks to Shereen A. Merro and Brandon Briggs C. Silvano for the valuable inputs, to the Local Government Units of Tolosa, Dulag, and Mayorga, Leyte for allowing the conduct of this research and for the assistance provided through the Office of Municipal Agriculture of the respective municipalities, to the small-scale tuna fishers of the Tolosa, Dulag and Mayorga for their amicable cooperation to participate in this research, to Fritzie M. Gonzales for the technical assistance, and to Richard Cajes for the illustrations of the fishing gear and its operation.

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