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

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.