PFDA upgrades Sual fish port to cut fish losses

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) has opened the upgraded Sual Fish Port in Pangasinan to enhance fish distribution and reduce losses.

“These improvements strengthen the fisheries cold chain by allowing fish to be handled, preserved, processed, and transported under better conditions, helping maintain product quality while reducing spoilage and post-harvest losses,” the PFDA said on Thursday.

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The upgraded port can now handle larger vessels and speed up seafood deliveries from landing sites to markets. It has 200 metric tons of cold storage, blast freezers, chiller rooms, flake ice machines and fish processing facilities.

The facility can process up to 8 metric tons daily. It also has a wastewater treatment plant and solar power system.

Still, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the project would strengthen the food supply chain, cut losses and improve fisherfolk livelihoods.

“By providing better post-harvest facilities, cold chain infrastructure, and more efficient trading systems, we reduce losses, preserve the quality of our catch, improve incomes for our fisherfolk, and ensure that more affordable and nutritious fish reach Filipino families,” Tiu Laurel said.

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For his part, PFDA Acting General Manager Glen Pangapalan said the upgraded port would create more opportunities for fishing communities. “This facility will serve fishing communities for many years, providing them with better services, modern post-harvest facilities, and greater opportunities to grow their livelihoods,” he said.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Pangasinan produced 172,090 metric tons of fish in 2025, or 4.3 percent of national output. /pai INQ