Sardine industry banking on warmer seas to increase catch

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Fishery bureau and the sardine industry are banking on warmer seas in the western Pacific Ocean to bring in more catch, while most businesses in the agriculture sector are bracing for El Niño this year. "We were given the task by our central office to monitor this event," Ahadulla S. Sajili, director of the Fisheries Resource Management Program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), said in an interview on Monday. He cited an online German study showing that warm climate causes the sardine habitat to extend towards the coast, allowing the fish population to grow. But they have yet to see this in the Sulu Sea, where hundreds of fishing vessels catch their sardines, Sajili said. He noted that the 1998 El Niño episode had not significantly increased catch in the area. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has warned that the onset of El Niño would affect the country's climate through the first half of the year starting March. Fleets of the 20 fishing firms here are expected to resume operations in March, after being dry-docked for maintenance in November to February, which is also the spawning season for sardines and other pelagic fishes. Sajili noted that the Mindanao Economic Development Council (MEDCo) expects fish production — a major pillar of the region's economy — in the Zamboanga Peninsula is expected to increase by 5 percent partly due to El Niño. In a separate interview, MEDCo chairman Virgilio L. Leyretana cited industry data showing that sardine landings dropped by 25-30 percent last year due to bad weather. "However, in 2010, production is expected to rebound because of the effect of El Niño," Leyretana said. Eugene C. Yap, president of the Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association (Sophil), the largest fishing group in Western Mindanao, said his group shares this projection. "It's still off-season for sardine fishing. Our group is still not catching any as of the moment. We will know by March," he said in an interview. Sophil, which has 19 members, supplies roughly 90 percent of its catch to the 10 canned sardine manufacturers here. The region's sardine industry accounts for 80 percent of canned sardines for local consumption. The industry contributes over P3 billion yearly to Zamboanga City's economy and produces the most affordable source of animal protein for the nation's low-income families. — Darwin T. Wee, BusinessWorld