Tuna in Philippines’ Benham Rise sold for P230,000 per kilo.
Species of tuna which are sold for P230,000 per kilo can be found in Benham Rise, the newest Philippine territory declared by the United Nations. It is located 250 kilometers east off the coast of Aurora province.
See Also: New PH Territory Benham Rise, A Potential Fisheries Spot
According to GMA-7’s “24 Oras” report, the Filipino marine scientists were fascinated by the rich coral life in the area, adding that they don’t find any traces of illegal fishing.
Marine Scientist from Oceana Philippines, Marianne Saniano, said that Benham Rise was 120 percent covered with corals.
“120 percent coral-covered siya kasi patong-patong siya kumbaga, tapos sobrang vast niya kung titignan mo.. parang ang layo na pero puro corals pa din siya,” she said.
Aside from corals, varieties of expensive fish can also be found in the 30-hectare territory. The tunas are being exported to Europe, United States, and Japan.
It was earlier reported that Benham Rise is a potential fisheries spot because of its marine life. World Wildlife Fund-Philippines fisheries expert Jose Ingles said that one of the highly-valued pacific Blue Fin Tuna is found in the Benham Rise
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) undersecretary Asis Perez said that the fishing should be utilized since tuna are migrant species.
“Conservation is important as well as utilization. Tuna species is a highly migratory species. Conserving the area will not assure that the tuna will stay in Benham Rise all the time,” he was quoted by the Official Gazette.