The total fish production in Ilocos Norte for the 3rd quarter of 2024 amounted to 673.10 metric tons, which represents an 8.29% decrease compared to 733.99 metric tons in the same period in 2023.

This decline is largely due to decreases in both marine and inland fisheries. Marine fisheries fell by 7.3%, while inland fisheries saw a sharp drop of 33.72%, the largest decline among all sectors. However, the aquaculture sector provided a slight rebound with a 2.88% increase in production, mitigating the overall decline somewhat. The municipal fisheries sector, which includes both marine and inland activities, showed a reduction of 9.00%, underscoring the challenges faced by the traditional fishery systems. Despite the overall downturn, aquaculture appears to be a growing segment within the province’s fish production landscape, contributing positively to the total output.
 

MUNICIPAL FISHERIES

Municipal Fisheries in Ilocos Norte experienced a decline of 9.00% in the 3rd quarter of 2024, with production decreasing from 691.39 metric tons in 2023 to 629.27 metric tons in 2024. This decrease is attributed to reductions in both marine and inland fisheries. Marine fisheries, which represent the largest share of municipal production, saw a 7.3% drop, while inland fisheries faced a significant 33.72% decline.
 

Marine Fisheries

Marine Fisheries in Ilocos Norte saw a decrease of 7.3% in the 3rd quarter of 2024, with production dropping from 647.40 metric tons in 2023 to 599.98 metric tons in 2024. Despite remaining the largest contributor to municipal fisheries, the sector experienced a decline of 47.42 metric tons.
Despite the overall decline, key species such as Anchovies, Skipjack, and Yellowfin tuna continue to make significant contributions to the marine fishery sector in the region.

Inland Fisheries

Inland fisheries in Ilocos Norte faced a significant decline of 33.72% in the 3rd quarter of 2024, with total production decreasing from 43.99 metric tons in 2023 to 29.29 metric tons. Despite the overall drop, Tilapia remained the dominant species, contributing 10.08 metric tons to the total inland production, making up the largest portion. Freshwater shrimp (Hipon) followed closely, with 4.27 metric tons, while Freshwater clams (Tulya) also made a notable contribution of 2.58 metric tons. Other key species included Catfish (Hito), which contributed 1.90 metric tons, and Eel (Igat) at 1.78 metric tons. Despite these top species, the inland fisheries sector overall experienced a considerable decrease.
 

Aquaculture
Aquaculture in Ilocos Norte experienced a slight growth of 2.88% in the 3rd quarter of 2024, with production increasing from 42.60 metric tons in 2023 to 43.83 metric tons in 2024. This growth of 1.23 metric tons underscores the continued resilience of the sector in contributing to the region's fish production. 

A closer look at production by ecosystem reveals notable contributions from various farming systems. Freshwater fishponds led the way with 21.03 metric tons, primarily from Tilapia production (20.31 metric tons). Brackishwater cages followed, contributing 17.42 metric tons, with Tilapia (8.24 metric tons) and Siganid (5.17 metric tons) being the main species. Smaller contributions came from freshwater cages (2.36 metric tons) and small farm reservoirs (1.89 metric tons), with Tilapia continuing to be the dominant species across various farming systems. This indicates that while aquaculture in the region remains diverse, Tilapia remains the leading species in overall production.
 

Sgd. MARILYN P. VERGARA
Chief Statistical Specialist

MPM/JAS