As part of the 25th National Tuna Congress and Trade Exhibit, the City Government of General Santos formally turned over its Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) support to two key organizations in the handline tuna sector: the FFSAPI-SARGEN Handline Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP) and the United Tuna Handliners Association (UTHA).
The ceremonial turnover, held at SM City General Santos, was led by Mayor Lorelie Geronimo Pacquiao.
The activity was facilitated by Ms. Rosanna Bernadette B. Contreras, Executive Director of the Society of Friends for Fishermen and Allied Industries, Inc. (SFFAII), who emphasized the importance of collaboration among government, industry, and community stakeholders in ensuring the long-term viability of tuna fisheries.
By equipping the handline sector with enhanced monitoring tools, it aims to strengthen the fight against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing while empowering tuna handliners to compete more effectively in global markets.
The FFSAPI-SARGEN Handline FIP and UTHA expressed gratitude for the support, noting that the VMS will boost accountability, improve data collection, and provide assurance to buyers that tuna sourced from General Santos adheres to sustainability and human rights standards.
The turnover ceremony served as a milestone in the city’s broader fisheries governance agenda and further demonstrated the strengthened partnerships between government, industry, and the fishing community.
