The volume of aquaculture production in Ilocos Region was posted at 70,151.75 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2021. This was 0.62 percent  lower than the production of 70,587.18 metric tons in the same period  in 2020. The provinces of Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan posted decreases in production of 18.09 percent, 12.39 percent, and 0.42 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte registered positive growth in output by 18.21 percent.

The bulk of the region’s aquaculture production in 4^th quarter 2021  was contributed by Pangasinan with a share of 98.56 percent.  La Union shared 1.25 percent, while Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte contributed 0.16 percent and with 0.03 percent, respectively.

By aquafarm type, marine cage contributed 86.67 percent share to the region’s overall aquaculture production in the 4^th quarter 2021. Brackishwater fishpond and freshwater fishpond contributed 8.48 percent and 4.00 percent, respectively. The remaining 0.85 percent were shared by oyster, mussel, and other ecosystems.

The dominant species in aquaculture subsector of the Ilocos Region in 4^th quarter 2021 were milkfish, tilapia, tiger prawn, oyster  and mussel.

Milkfish dominated all other species contributed 94.10 percent of the total aquaculture production in Ilocos Region in 4^th quarter 2021. About 4.32 percent were tilapia, and the remaining 1.58 percent were shared by tiger prawn, oyster, mussel and other species.

Aquaculture by Province

The aquaculture production of Pangasinan was 69,144.72 metric tons, lower by 0.42 percent than the output in 4^th quarter 2020 of 69,434.88 metric tons.

Marine cages contributed 87.35 percent of the total production by aquafarm types in the province. This was followed by brackishwater fishpond and freshwater fishpond with 8.54 percent and 3.28 percent, respectively. Other aquafarm types contributed the remaining 0.83 percent.

The dominant species in the aquaculture subsector of Pangasinan in 4^th quarter of 2021 were milkfish, tilapia, tiger prawn, oyster and mussel.

Milkfish is the most produced specie in Pangasinan, which contributed 94.87 percent of the total aquaculture production in the province in 4^th quarter of 2021. This was followed by tilapia with 3.58 percent and the remaining 1.55 percent was shared by tiger prawn, oyster, mussel and other species.

The aquaculture production of La Union decreased from 997.10 metric tons to 873.56 metric tons or lower by 12.39 percent. Freshwater fishpond contributed most of the production in the province with a 50.91 percent share. Marine cage followed with 46.11 percent while oyster and marine pen shared 1.39 percent and 1.15 percent, respectively. The remaining 0.44 percent was shared by brackishwater fishpond, brackishwater cage, brackishwater pen, and small farm reservoir.

The dominant species in the aquaculture subsector of La Union in 4^th quarter 2021 were tilapia, milkfish, oyster, white shrimp  and siganid.

Tilapia is the most produced specie in La Union, which contributed 50.75 percent of the total aquaculture production, in the province in 4^th quarter 2021. This was followed by milkfish with 45.62 percent.

Ilocos Sur’s aquaculture production decreased from 137.67 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2020 to 112.77 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2021. Freshwater  fishpond contributed the most of the production in the province with 68.58 percent share followed by brackishwater fishpond with 60.71 percent. Freshwater cage, marine pen, and other farm types shared the remaining 0.71 percent.

The dominant species in the aquaculture subsector of Ilocos Sur in the 4^th quarter of 2021 were tilapia and milkfish which contributed 83.79 percent and 15.99 percent, respectively.

Ilocos Norte is the only province that posted a production increase in 4^th quarter 2021. The said output was upped by 18.21 percent, from 17.52 metric tons in 4^th quarter 2020 to 20.71 metric tons. By aquafarm type, brackishwater fishpond has the biggest share in production with 79.11 percent followed by small farm reservoir with 9.99 percent. On the other hand brackishwater fishpond shared 6.03 percent, while brackishwater cage contributed 3.28 percent.

The dominant species in the aquaculture subsector of Ilocos Norte in the 4^th quarter of 2021 were tilapia, catfish, and mudfish.

Tilapia shared most of the production in Ilocos Norte with 85.22 percent share, followed by catfish with 9.90 percent. Meanwhile, mudfish and others species collectively shared 4.88 percent.

SGD. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN
Regional Director, RSSO I