The General Santos Fish Port Complex, the Philippines’ main hub for tuna landings, processing, and exports, will undergo a comprehensive structural assessment after the country was struck by a powerful earthquake in early June. This disrupted operations and prompted several tuna plants to temporary halt processing activities. The Department of Agriculture (DA) stated that preliminary findings suggest the port remains structurally sound. However, an initial post-earthquake assessment revealed structural concerns that warranted a temporary closure of the fish port’s market halls, while some others were flagged for further evaluation, according to Filipino news site Malaya Business Insight. A DA spokesperson explained that the structures, including the wharf, would be inspected in detail before making them fully operational.

Several tuna canneries temporarily shut down operations for a week as a result of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the Philippines on June 8. Century Pacific Foods (CNPF), among the largest tuna manufacturers and sellers in the Philippines, said it has partially resumed tuna processing at its General Santos facility. Currently, tuna fishing operations are also reportedly recovering.

Alliance Select Foods International said it has extended the temporary suspension of operations at its General Santos tuna cannery, citing ongoing aftershocks in the area following last week’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake. The company, which had planned to resume operations on June 16, said reopening would proceed only after a comprehensive assessment of the facility is completed to ensure workers’ safety, according to Filipino media reports.

Preliminary inspections following the earthquake identified damage to warehouse facilities and parts of stored inventory. A wider assessment of buildings, equipment, inventories, and other assets is continuing so that the management can first evaluate the full extent of the impact. Alliance Select said the facility and related assets are insured, which helps offset losses resulting from repairs and business disruptions. Last week, Atuna reported that several tuna companies in General Santos, known as the Filipino tuna hub, suspended operations due to the impact of the earthquake, which has reportedly killed many and left over 20,000 people displaced.

The US House of Representatives recently approved USD 500,000 for the newly started Office of Seafood, which could help tuna harvesters and processors to gain access to USDA programs, including loans and grants. The funds are part of the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) fiscal 2027 budget, to support the office operations.

In April, the US created a new USDA Office of Seafood, which will be responsible for providing leadership, expertise, management, and advice to the US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, on matters impacting tuna and other seafood industries. This latest move aligns with US President Donald Trump signed ‘Executive Order on Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness’ last April, putting primary focus on American-produced seafood in the US market, and relying less on imports. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, amendment, and a vote before it can proceed to become a law.