PH Fisheries Output Hits 1.1 Million MT in Q2

The country’s total volume of fisheries production reached 1.1 million metric tons during the second quarter this year, 1.36 percent lower than same period last year.

Based on a report of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), an attached agency of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the figure was pulled down by lower production in commercial and municipal fisheries, with only aquaculture managing to pull up its output.

The PSA said commercial fisheries declined 11.89 percent due to less unloading of species in Navotas fishport brought about by frequent rains that hampered fishing operations in surrounding marine waters of Antique, Bataan, Zambales and Visayan Sea.

By species, marine species like roundscad, yellowfin tuna, frigate tuna and Indian sardines all contributed to the decline in fisheries production.

Municipal fisheries production went down by 0.69 percent to 303,000 metric tons in April to June quarter.

It attributed lower municipal fisheries output to reduced unloading in Palawan resulting from the shifting of some fishermen to construction work and the effect of illegal fishing activities.

Harvests from aquaculture, meanwhile, surged five percent to 520,000 metric tons during the period on additional seaweed area harvested in MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and sufficiency of supply of fingerlings for stocking in brackish fishponds. (PNA)