Dingalan eyed as tuna capital

THE Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ( DA- BFAR) is gearing up to make Dingalan town in Aurora province as the next “Tuna Capital” of the Philippines after General Santos City in Mindanao.

In a statement on Monday, the DA- BFAR said its officials in Region 3 ( Central Luzon) led by Director Wilfredo Cruz, visited the area last week to witness the unloading of the bountiful fish catch from two commercial boats and committed to advocate for the development of the town’s fishery sector.

Cruz said the government will push for the construction of a fish port that will also serve as a dock and refuge for all vessels during typhoons, and station for the Philippine Coast Guard. He said his office submitted the proposal to the DA- BFAR central office for consideration and approval.

In response, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said he will instruct the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority ( PFDA) and BFAR to conduct a feasibility study on the establishment of a fishport complex in Dingalan and a wholesale fish market in Rosales, Pangasinan.

He said sashimi grade tuna from Dingalan can be flown out of the country through Clark Airport, and various fish produce from Pangasinan, Aurora, Zambales and Central Luzon can be consolidated in Rosales, Pangasinan and distributed to north, central, and northeastern Luzon, and even to Metro Manila.

Very soon, Dar said Dingalan will not only be known as the “Batanes of the East” but also as the “Tuna Capital of the North.”