The stakeholders of the tuna fishing industry in General Santos City are pushing for the creation of a department for fisheries and aquatic resources to achieve the full potential of the country's fisheries sector. Currently, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, an agency responsible for the development, improvement, management, and conservation of the Philippine fisheries and aquatic resources, is under the Department of Agriculture. In a press conference on Monday for the 22nd National Tuna Congress on September 1-2, Rosanna Contreras, executive director of the Soccsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Inc., said their initial proposal for a separate department for fisheries has not prospered.

Sumangil, F. (2022, September 1). Gensan bats for fisheries department. The Manila Times, p. A9.