Ilocos Region aquaculture production for the second quarter 2022 increased compared to the 2021 second quarter (9.11 growth rate). The second quarter production in the region was 36,357.15 metric tons.  Ilocos Norte’s production increased at 83.70 growth rate. La Union and Ilocos Sur likewise increased at 43.81 percent and 7.60 percent, respectively. The biggest contributor, Pangasinan, recorded a growth rate of 4.45 percent growth. In terms of magnitude of increase, La Union has the biggest with1,599.38 metric tons.

The majority of the region’s production was from Pangasinan at a record of 30,385.5 metric tons, which covered 83.58 percent of the region’s aquaculture production. La Union listed 5,250.38 metric tons of production. Meanwhile, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte covered a fraction of the region's total production at 482.66 and 238.62, respectively.

Marine cages, brackishwater fishponds, and freshwater fishponds were the most used aqua farm type in Ilocos Region. Fish production in marine cage type yielded 14,108.53 metric tons, 13,351 metric tons for brackishwater fishpond, and 8,128.52 metric tons for freshwater fishpond. 

Other aquafarm types present in the region include brackishwater pen, brackishwater cage, freshwater cage, marine pen, oyster farm, mussel farm, seaweed farm, rice fish, and small farm reservoir which collectively accounted for 2.12 percent of the region’s aquaculture production.

Milkfish remained the top specie. It covers 65.20 percent of the region’s aquaculture production in the second quarter 2022. Tilapia also remained the second top specie among farmed fishes in the region at 10,184.46 metric tons production. Also belonging at the top specie in the region were grouper and tiger prawn.

Aquaculture by Province

The production of Pangasinan in the second quarter 2022 was 30,385.51 metric tons in which 45.05 percent were from marine cage production. Following the marine cage aqua farm, brackishwater fishpond produced 8,632.98 metric tons of fish, equivalent to 28.41 percent of the province's production. Closely following the brackishwater fishpond, freshwater fishpond was able to produced 7,822.38 metric tons. Other types of aquafarm accounted for 242.98 metric tons, that is, less than one percent of the province’s production.

Pangasinan, famous for its Bangus Festival, produced 20,521.23 metric tons of milkfish which covers 56.44 percent of the region’s aquaculture production. Tilapia is also a notable fish product in the province, contributing 30.32 percent of the province production.

Bulk of the aquaculture production in La Union were from brackishwater fishpond covering 86.36 percent of the province overall production. Meanwhile, 418.01 metric tons of fish variety came from marine cage while 271.46 were from brackishwater pen.

Milkfish topped La Union’s Aquaculture in the second quarter 2022 at 3,054.24 metric tons of production. This was followed by grouper at 807.26 metric tons, and tilapia at 434.15 metric tons. Almost 95 percent of Tiger prawns came from the province of La Union making it the top producer of tiger prawn in the region during the period. Meanwhile, catfish recorded 107.84 metric tons of production.

Similar to the La Union, brackishwater fishpond was the number one aquafarm type in terms of its production in Ilocos Sur. It recorded 343.65 metric tons in the second quarter 2022. Freshwater fishpond and brackshwater cage produced 120.10 metric tons, and 10.06 metric tons, respectively.

Ilocos Sur was one of the provinces in the Ilocos Region wherein tilapia was the top specie being produced. The province was able to produce 410.16 metric tons or equivalent to 84.97 percent of the province's aquaculture production. Milkfish ranked second with 66.17 metric tons.

Brackishwater cage topped Ilocos Norte aquaculture production in the second quarter 2022. The said aquafarm type was able to produce 112.37 metric tons of fish products. Freshwater fishpond and freshwater cage ranked second and third in the province, respectively.

Similar to Ilocos Sur, tilapia ranked one of the province's top specie in aquaculture production, while milkfish placed second. Siganid production is more than half of milkfish production in the province at 33.06 metric tons. Other aquafarm species covered only 6.92 percent of the province's production.

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