La Union’s fisheries production decreases in 4^th Quarter 2022

La Union’s total volume of fisheries production in 4^th quarter 2022 was recorded at 1,225.10 metric tons, a decrease of 65.55 percent from the 3,555.79 metric tons production in 4^th quarter 2021.

Among the fisheries subsectors, aquaculture had the largest contribution to the fisheries output in the province in 4^th quarter 2022 with a share of 639.21 metric tons or 52.18 percent of the total fisheries production of the province. Municipal fisheries ranked second with 453.66 metric tons contributing 37.03 percent to the total fisheries production of the province. Commercial fisheries had the smallest contribution to the total volume of production in the province with 132.23 metric tons or 10.79 percent share.

In 4^th quarter 2022, the top five species in terms of volume of production were: Milkfish (Bangus) with 533.24 metric tons (43.53 percent share); Blue Crab (Alimasag) with 92.42 metric tons (7.54 percent share); Goatfish (Saramulyete) with 68.93 metric tons (5.63 percent share); Threadfin Bream (Bisugo) with 46.52 metric tons (3.80 percent share); and Tilapia with 44.99 metric tons (3.67% share). 

Municipal Fisheries

The total municipal fisheries production in La Union decreased by 79.06 percent from the estimated production of 2,166.14 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2021 to 453.66 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2022. This subsector was comprised of 88.61 percent production from marine municipal fisheries and 11.39 percent production from inland municipal fisheries.

Similarly, the volume of production from marine municipal fisheries dropped by 79.81 percent from 1,990.60 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2021 to 401.97 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2022. Likewise, the volume of production from inland municipal fisheries went down by 70.55 percent from 175.54 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2021 to 51.69 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2022.

Municipal fisheries data were gathered from administrative records of the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), Local Government Unit (LGU) - managed landing centers and traditional landing centers.

Aquaculture

The aquaculture production in La Union was posted at 639.21 metric tons in 4^th  quarter 2022. This translates to a decrease of 26.83 percent from the 873.56 metric tons production in 4^th quarter 2021. (Figure 4)

Milkfish dominated the aquaculture production of the province in 4^th quarter 2022 with 533.24 metric tons.  It was distantly followed by Tilapia and Oyster production with 35.73 metric tons and 27.74 metric tons, respectively. Both Milkfish and Oyster productions increased compared with their outputs of 398.53 metric tons and 12.16 metric tons, respectively, in 4^th quarter 2021. On the other hand, Tilapia  production had a double-digit decrease of 91.94 percent from its output of 443.26 metric tons in the same period a year ago.

Commercial Fisheries

The volume of production from commercial fisheries was posted at 132.23 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2022.  It went down by 74.38 percent from 516.09 metric tons in the same period a year ago. (Figure 5)

Data for commercial fisheries were obtained from LGU-managed fish landing centers, privately-managed fish landing centers, and traditional fish landing centers.

Value of fisheries production in La Union decreases in 4^th quarter 2022

The total value of all fisheries production in La Union in 4^th quarter 2022 was PhP202,001.48. This is 61.41 percent lower than its value in the same quarter a year ago of PhP523,397.65.

In terms of value of production, aquaculture topped the three subsectors in 4^th quarter 2022 with a share of 50.96 percent to the total value of fisheries production in the province. The remaining 49.04 percent of the provincial total value of production was contributed by municipal fisheries with 39.07 percent share and commercial fisheries with 9.96 percent share. (Figure 6)

Aquaculture, municipal and commercial subsectors exhibited a decrease in their respective value of fisheries production compared with their value of fisheries production in 4^th quarter 2021. Aquaculture decreased by 7.10 percent from PhP110,814.90 in 4^th quarter 2021 to PhP102,949.81 in 4^th quarter 2022. Municipal fisheries went down by 77.24 percent from PhP346,821.96 in 4^th quarter 2021 to PhP78,927.45 in 4^th quarter 2022 while commercial fisheries declined by 69.40 percent from PhP65,760.79 to PhP20,124.22.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Aquaculture is a fishery operation involving all forms of raising and culturing of fish and other fishery species in fresh, brackish and marine water areas. The operation is comprised of activities from stocking to harvesting of species under controlled conditions in farming facility called aquafarm.

Aquaculture Production refers to the volume harvested from the aquafarm. It includes those species harvested in marketable/matured size and in fresh form.

Inland Municipal Fishing – the catching of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and other aquatic animals and plants in inland waters like lakes, rivers, dams, marshes, etc. using simple gears and fishing boats some of which are non-motorized with a capacity of less than three gross tons, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing boats.

Landing Center is a place where the fish catch and other aquatic products are unloaded and traded. Traditional landing center is a type of landing center where fishermen could unload their catch and/or dock their fishing boats without any obligation or payment for the use of the place.

Quarterly Aquaculture Survey is a quarterly survey that generates estimates of volume and value of production per aquafarm type and species for the subsector.

Quarterly Inland Fisheries Survey is a survey on volume and price of fish by species, caught by households engaged in inland fishing. It gathers quarterly data with monthly catch from sample fishing households. Respondents are fishermen or any knowledgeable member of the sample household.

Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey (Traditional Landing Center) is a quarterly survey on the volume of fish unloading in traditional landing centers and the price of fish by species.  It gathers data on a quarterly basis but the information that is collected is about monthly fish unloading.

Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey (Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), Local Government Units (LGUs), Privately-Managed Landing Centers) is the gathering of data from the records of the PFDA, LGU and privately-managed landing centers. It is done on a quarterly basis but the information being collected is on each of the three months included in the reference quarter.

Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey (Traditional Landing Center) – is a survey on volume and price of fish, by species, unloaded by fishing boats three gross tons or less. It gathers quarterly data for the entire sample landing center with information on monthly fish unloading.

Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey PFDA, LGUs, Privately-Managed Landing Centers is gathering of data on volume and price of fish from administrative records of PFDA and LGU managed landing centers. It is done on a quarterly basis with information from three-month period.

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, Ph.D.
Chief Statistical Specialist

MAQ/MFC