The country’s fisheries output in the second quarter rose by 2.6 percent to 1.133 million metric tons, from 1.104 MMT a year ago, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA attributed the increase to favorable weather conditions and higher unloading volume by fishermen.
“Of the three subsectors, commercial fisheries and aquaculture pulled up its output, while municipal fisheries subsector displayed downtrend,” the PSA said in its report, titled “Fisheries Situation Report,” published recently.
Commercial fisheries catch during the period went up by 2.27 percent to 287,682.04 MT, from 281,302.65 MT recorded during the April-to-June period of 2017.
“The increment was attributed to more unloading of skipjack for canneries in General Santos City Fish Port in Soccsksargen,” the PSA said.
“Likewise, there were more unloading of fish species in Navotas Fish Port as a result of conservation measures previously implemented in Visayan Sea and Zamboanga Peninsula fishing grounds,” it added.
Aquaculture production expanded by 5.81 percent to 550,014.1 MT, from 519,801.6 MT recorded last year due to government interventions and good weather.
“Growth rates were achieved in Central Luzon and Mimaropa through various interventions of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and local government units, which include the distribution of fingerlings and other planting materials,” the PSA said. “Favorable weather conditions also prevailed during the period.”
The production of the municipal fisheries subsector during the second quarter declined by 2.46 percent to 295,641.27 MT, from the previous year’s 303,091.36 MT.
Marine fisheries output, which accounted for 86.4 percent of the total municipal fisheries catch, reached 255,446.55 MT.
The volume was 3.44 percent lower than the 264,558.77 MT recorded volume during the April-to-June period of 2017.
The remaining volume of the municipal fisheries output came from inland fishing, which posted a 4.32-percent increment in production during the period. Inland fishing production reached 40,194.72 MT compared to the 38,531.59 MT recorded
a year ago.
“The decline was due to less fishing efforts brought about weather disturbances that prevailed during the period,” the PSA said.
Image credits: Nonie Reyes