USAID's Growth With Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program has successfully introduced efficient and sustainable fishing methods that helped propel Southern Mindanao's fishing industry into a major economic force in Mindanao, and a leading player in the international tuna trade.

By the end of 2001, the Southern Mindanao fishing industry - 90 percent of which is based in General Santos City - reached Php12.5 billion ($250 million) in total revenues from fish landings, an increase of Php2.4 billion ($48 million) from five years earlier. Over the same period, the processing sector posted a growth of Php4.5 billion ($90 million), and provided a total of 65,000 jobs spread across the industry's various sub-sectors. This success is substantially attributable to USAID's comprehensive and integrated fisheries development programs carried out during the past decade.

One of the initiatives carried out by USAID's GEM Program led to the use of 10 cm mesh nets instead of the 3 cm variety, then being widely used. This was designed to reduce the catch of sub-juvenile tuna and thereby protect the future of the industry. In addition, fisherfolk were shown how this practice made "economic common sense" since larger-sized tuna commanded higher prices from local canners. By the end of 1999, two years after the practice was introduced, 50% of the 250 purse seine fishing vessels in SOCSKSARGEN had switched to larger-meshed nets, reducing the catch of juvenile tuna by over 65%.

GEM also encouraged the use of long line fishing and night-time hand line fishing as part of its efforts to improve existing local fishing methods. As of 2002, over 100 hand line boat operators have adopted these recommended practices. They all report higher efficiency levels and posted a hefty 20% increase in the value of their catch.

GEM has played a key role in introducing the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System to address the problem of fish quality degradation due to poor handling practices aboard vessels. Since its introduction, there has been a major improvement in fish quality, allowing fishermen to obtain better prices for their catch. For instance, large yellowfin tuna that was previously sold by fishermen to local fish processors at P80 per kilo, now sell at Php180 per kilo. Moreover, the seven canneries operating in General Santos have earned HACCP accreditation from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and are experiencing marked improvements in production capacities.