General Santos City Tuna Fish Port

GENERAL SANTOS FISHPORT COMPLEX

( TUNA CITY OF PHILIPPINES )

The construction of General Santos Fish Port Complex(GSFPC) was funded by Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund(OECF) of Japan. GSFPC is the nation’s second largest fish port after Navotas, and considered the most modern in the country today. The construction started last December 1994 and finished in March 1999.

Aerial view of the General Santos Fishport Complex.

 REFRIGERATION FACILITIES

         Ice Making Plant                                        60 tons/day
         Ice Storage                                                60 tons/day
         Ice Crusher                                                20 tons/hour
         Cold Storage, -35°C                                    1,500 tons (6 x 250 tons)
         Contact Freezer, -45°C (4 units)                   288 kg./cycle/3-4 hr./unit
         Air Blast                                                    14 tons/day
         Brine Freezer                                              50 tons/day

 BUILDING FACILITIES
 
         Fish Market (3 units)                                  6,000 sq.m.
         Refrigeration Building                                  7,000 sq.m.
         Maintenance Shop                                      360 sq.m.
         Administrative Building                                420 sq.m.
         Net Mending Shed(4 units)                          160 sq.m.
         Public Toilets                                             120 sq.m.
         Fresh Water Pump House                           19.36 sq.m.
         Fire Pump House                                        12.00 sq.m.
         Sea Water Pump House                              19.04. sq.m.

Yellowfin Tuna

The impact of the growing tuna industry of General Santos City has been inviting in-migrants seeking employment in any of the canning factories or sashimi-exporters for the Japan market. The rate of population growth has notably increased in an alarming rate of 2.64% per annum for the last 5 years. This means that the city’s population increases at about 10,000 warm bodies per month. The study is based on the trend analysis on General Santos City migration.

Since the start of GSFPC’s operation, unloading of tuna and tuna-like species has dramatically increased. Fish unloading started at the fishport’s market 1 with the recorded volume of 515, 160 kgs., for the month of April 1998, where majority of the catch consists of yellowfin tuna.

Fish unloading dramatically increased on August 1998, when market 2 which caters to baby purseiners and mixed species of fish producers opened, showing an increase in total fish unloading of 118% based on the April 1998 data.

Apparently, another abrupt increase in tuna unloading was noted when the port’s Market 3 accommodating large purseiners opened on March 1999 increasing the volume by 227% compared to August 1998 data.

The captured tuna and tuna-like fishes have been monitored to be delivered to 3 major destinations. These include the canneries, the processors/exporters, and the local market catering the local consumers.

We started distributing Tuna products from General Santos City December of 2009 as addition to the products we are selling for retail. What started as a test supply soon expanded to the distribution of the product to other establishments like Bars, Grill Houses, Restaurants and Resorts.  Now we are expanding and we are seeing a bigger market share through exports.

Unlike other competition that relies solely on the availability of the products from those locally produced by fisherman we on the other hand get our product direct from the “tuna fish port” . This would simply say that the products we sell goes with the highest quality before being allowed to leave the processing area. And with that we could say that we a have secured a better supplying capacity than the rest.

Our Tuna comes at the highest of quality the moment they arrived till they are delivered. They are fresh frozen and sealed ensuring great texture when served. Since the exporters already provided the system of making sure that everything that comes out of the factory passes international standards in terms of quality.

Having been raised in this area provides greater opportunity in pulling in as many resources as possible  allowing us to move with greater success because of the harmonious cooperation we get from our people. In terms of financial stability we are fast growing and the cash flow that we have is allowing us to increase and expand. We also have a handful of investors that provides us financial backing and with this we are confident that we could meet the demand our clients.

In order to meet the individual needs of  our clients we maintain a wide range of products and matched the client’s needs with the factory output capacity on a year round basis. We already established a good supply system for our Tuna Belly and Tuna Panga meaning at any given season we could provide this needed products unlike the rest which relies only with the days catch.

How We Grade Tuna

How We Grade Tuna: 

Agilex grading system primer.

Grading tuna is an art. Our team has inspected tens of thousands of tuna worldwide and we are confident we can accurately determine what a fish is worth. We are skilled at matching the right fish to the right customer, whether it is headed to Japan to be sold at auction or perfect for a local customer.

We take note of its shape from the minute the fish hits the dock, checking for any gashes on the skin, examining it again after the fish is iced, inspecting the body inside and out. We consider how it was caught: by rod and reel, harpoon, longline or trap. Our methodology is focused and precise; each step of the process helps in determining the value of a specific fish.

To evaluate our tuna, we first cut a sample from the tail of each fish and grade it in the following categories.

Tail color. Is the meat dark or light? Is it clear or opaque?  Where within the range of reds does it fall? Is it a darker red, closer to raspberry, or bright, like a cherry life-saver?  

Fat content. Can you see creamy, marbled, "mature" fat, or is the fat loosely connected, wispy or "young"?  Is the meat oily to the touch or does it feel watery? Does the meat seem dry or hard when you press on it with your fingers?

Shape. Is the fish long and lean or is it shaped like a football? Does it appear to have a belly? Is there a large cavity between the skeletal structure and the skin of the fish, or do they appear to be connected?

Core. We also take a sample from the core of the tuna, using a long, thin metal instrument called a sashibo. This probe is plunged into the fish above the pectoral fin, along the lateral line, whereby a tube-like piece of meat is extracted, about seven inches long. We then compare it to the tail sample, considering its overall texture, including color and visible fat.

We evaluate the core sample separately for both color and fat, each gets an individual grade and then the core gets an overall grade. This information is used together with what we have learned from the tail sample to determine the final value of the fish.

Fresh or Frozen Tuna Steak

Sashimi grade in which sizes can vary from 250 grams to 1 kilogram per pack. Vacuum packed, although clients may require and specify product packaging and labeling.

Fresh or Frozen Tuna Cubes

Sashimi grade in which sizes can vary from 250 grams to 1 kilogram per pack. Vacuum packed, although clients may require and specify product packaging and labeling.

Fresh or Frozen Tuna Crazy Cut

Sashimi grade in which sizes can vary from 250 grams to 1 kilogram per pack. Vacuum packed, although clients may require and specify product packaging and labeling.

Fresh or Frozen Tuna Loins

Sashimi grade, individually vacuum packed. Sizes can vary from 1 to 4 kilograms. Clients may require and specify product packaging and labeling.

Whole Fresh Yellow Fina & Big Eye Tuna

Fresh Chilled Big Eye and Yellow Fin Tuna
Sashimi grade, available in whole round (WR), gilled and gutted (G&G) & headed and gutted (H&G). Sizes vary from 30 kilograms  to 100 kilograms each. Every tuna in carton is packed in polystyrene with gel ice.