The Ilocos Region posted 71,668.12 metric tons of aquaculture production in the 4th quarter 2022. This output was slightly higher than the output from the same quarter 2021 of 70,151.75 metric tons.

Provinces in the region posted increases in aquaculture production except for La Union. Among provinces with increase aquaculture production, Ilocos Norte had the highest percentage increase of 130.81 percent, more than doubled it’s output of 20.71 metric tons in 4th quarter 2021. The increase in Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan were at 10.26 percent and 2.48 percent, respectively. Meanwhile, La Union’s aquaculture production decreased by 26.83 percent.

In terms of percentshare, Pangasinan almost covered the entire region’s aquaculture production during the 4th quarter 2022 at 98.87 percent. This was followed by La Union at 0.89 percent, then Ilocos Sur at 0.17 percent. Ilocos Norte shared 0.07 percent of the total aquaculture production in the region.

By type of aquafarm, 87.19 percent of the region’s production was from the marine cages. Brackishwater fishponds and freshwater fishponds followed at 7.31 percent and 4.55 percent, respectively. Other aquafarms covered 0.95 percent of the production.

The top three species produced in the region were milkfish at 67,354.42 metric tons, tilapia at 3,342.69 metric tons, and oyster at 374.55 metric tons. Other fish species contributed 0.83 percent or 596.46 metric tons to the total region’s output.

Aquaculture by Province

Ilocos Norte

Most of the aquaculture production in Ilocos Norte came from freshwater fishponds with a percent share of 70.19 percent. The next top producing aquafarms were brackishwater fishponds and small farm reservoirs which shared of 14.52 percent, and 8.12 percent, respectively. Other aquafarms contributed 7.17 percent.

Ilocos Sur

Bulk of the aquafarm production in Ilocos Sur came from freshwater fishponds which shared 72.95 percent. Brackishwater fishponds followed next at 25.60 percent share to the province’s overall output. Marine cages shared 0.55 percent of the production. Meanwhile, outputs from other aquafarm types contributed 0.90 percent.

Like Ilocos Norte, tilapia was observed the most cultured fish species in Ilocos Sur which covered 83.74 percent of the province's overall aquaculture production. This followed by milkfish at 14.09 percent share. (Table 2)

La Union

In La Union, bulk of its aquaculture production came from brackishwater fishponds which shared 43.47 percent. The next top contributors of the province’s output were marine cage that shared 36.12 percent, and brackishwater pens with 10.38 percent share. Meanwhile, other aquafarms contributed a tenth of La Union’s production.

La Union was the top producer of mudcrabs in 4th quarter 2022. The province contributed 3.18 metric tons of mudcrabs out of the 3.63 metric tons output of the region. Milkfish was also the top fish species produced in the province at 533.24 metric tons. (Table 2)

The top fish species in Pangasinan was milkfish with 66,801.77 metric tons or 94.28 percent of the province’s aquaculture production. Tilapia ranked second with a 3,162.34 percent share. (Table 2)

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