SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries, Inc. a non-government, non-profit organization, established in 1999 as an umbrella organization of 7 associations with a total over 100 companies involved in fishing, canning, fish processing, aquaculture production & processing and other allied industries. Its membership cuts across the entire value chain from the capture fisheries sector, composed of the hand line fishermen, the small, medium & large commercial ring netters and purse seine operators, to the fish processing sector and exporters composed of the big canning operators, fresh chilled, frozen fish value-adding sector. It is based in General Santos City governed by a Board of 14 Directors and by the Executive Director handling the day-to-day operations.
The member-associations include:
- Southern Philippines Boat Owners and Tuna Association (SPBOTA)
- South Cotabato Purse Seiners Association (SOCOPA)
- Umbrella Fish Landing Association (UFLA)
- SARGEN Shrimp Stakeholders' Association, Inc. (SARGEN)
- Tuna Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (TMAP)
- Fresh Frozen Seafood Association – Tuna Processors Philippines, Inc. (FFSA-TPPI)
- Tuna Cooperative of General Santos City (Tuna Coop)
OBJECTIVES OF THE FEDERATION
- Unite the different fishing associations and allied industries in SOCSKSARGEN to jointly work for a sustainable and globally competitive industry;
- Serve as the voice of the fishing industry in lobbying for the key policy agenda and relevant issues and concerns;
- Provide a neutral venue for its members to raise specific problems and resolve fundamental issues besetting the industry; and,
- Serve as a forum to strengthen industry representation and positioning with respect to other players in the world with the end view of protecting, expanding, and maintaining the country’s strategic lead in the tuna industry.
