GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 5 Sep) – The Philippine Fisheries and Development Authority (PFDA) is pushing for the development of a museum that will showcase the city’s thriving tuna industry.
Cleaning fresh tuna catch at the GenSan fish port. MindaNews file photo by BOBBY TIMONERA
Luisito Romeo Correa, manager of the PFDA-run city fish port complex, said Tuesday they have initiated discussions with local stakeholders for the establishment of the museum within the 11-hectare fish port complex in Barangay Tambler here.
Dubbed “tuna museum,” he said it will mainly highlight the developments in the local tuna industry in nearly five decades.
“It will complement with the increasing number of tourists who have been visiting the fish port,” he said.
Correa said city officials have initially supported the proposed initiative, which will also develop the fish port as an “agri-tourism hub.”
The Department of Tourism in Region 12 has included the fish port as among the city’s tourist destinations.
The top attractions is mainly the daily unloading of fresh tuna by local and foreign fishing vessels calling port at the facility.
The fish port complex was the site of the city’s successful attempt in September 2014 to capture the Guinness World Record for the largest fish display.
The world record bid was made by fish port workers who were able to display and weigh around 25,500 kilograms or 25.5 metric tons of tuna in about 15 minutes.
The city government has been holding the annual Tuna Festival every first week of September to pay homage to its multimillion tuna industry. The five-year festivity, now on its 19th year, ends today.
Malacañang has declared Sept. 5 as a special non-working holiday in the city in line with the festival.
A mass fish grilling dubbed “Sugbahan sa Dalan” and a grand fireworks display will cap this year’s festivity.
The city government and tuna industry players have committed to provide about a thousand kilos of fish for the “tuna feast.” (MindaNews)
