Aquaculture production of the Ilocos Region posted production  of 27,449 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2021. This was 0.87 percent  higher than the production of 27,212 metric tons in the same period  in 2020. Only the province of La Union contributed to the increment  of the region’s production in the aquaculture subsector. 

Bulk of the region’s aquaculture production for the 1^st quarter 2021  was contributed by Pangasinan with a share of 92.55 percent.  Its production was 25,402 metric tons, lower than the output  in 1^st quarter 2020 of 25,574 metric tons. Lower survival rate and late stocking of some species resulted to the decrease of the aquaculture production in the province. 

La Union shared 5.62 percent to the region’s aquaculture fisheries production in 1^st quarter 2021. The 1,543 metric tons production during the period was higher than the 1,094 metric tons output in 2020  of the same period. More fishponds, marine fish cages and fish pens  were stocked and harvested to meet increasing demand of fishery products during the period. 

Ilocos Norte which shared 1.25 percent to the total aquaculture production of the region in 1^st quarter 2021 posted decrement in output.  From the 374 metric tons output recorded in the same period of 2020,  it went down to 344 metric tons this year. Lesser survival rate due to warm weather in March and smaller sizes of catch caused the decrement  in the province’s output.

Likewise, Ilocos Sur, that contributed 0.59 percent to the region’s total aquaculture production in the 1^st quarter 2021, decreased in output  by 5.29 percent. Lesser stocking rate due to unavailability of fingerlings and low survival rate as affected by sudden change in temperature  led to the decrease in its aquaculture production during the quarter.

By ecosystem, marine cage contributed 63.41 percent share to the region’s overall aquaculture production in 1^st quarter 2021. This was followed by brackishwater fishpond with 28.70 percent share, freshwater fishpond with 6.13 percent share, oyster with 1.28 percent share, and brackishwater cage with 0.23 percent share. 

The dominant species in aquaculture subsector of the Ilocos Region during the 1^st quarter 2021 were milkfish, tilapia, oyster, tiger prawn  and mudfish. 

In the 1^st quarter 2021, milkfish production of Ilocos Region recorded  at 24,983 metric tons. It was higher by 1.99 percent than its output of 24,495 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2020. Dispersal of bangus through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources – Regional Field Office I (BFAR-RFOI), more availability of fry, and early stocking were the factors that contributed to the increase in the regional output. Most of the milkfish caught were from Pangasinan.