La Union’s commercial fisheries production decreases in 1^st quarter 2024

The volume of production from commercial fisheries was posted at 69.88 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2024. This recorded a decrease of 65.90 percent from its level in 1^st quarter 2023 of 204.93 metric tons. (Figure 1)

The top five major catch in La Union in 1^st quarter 2024 were Slipmouth (Sapsap) with 10.85 metric tons, Squid (Pusit) with 7.94 metric tons, Fimbriated Sardines (Tunsoy) with 3.91 metric tons, Anchovies (Dilis) with 3.70 metric tons, and Spanish Mackerel (Alumahan) with 3.58 metric tons.

Slipmouth output contributed 15.53 percent to the total commercial fisheries production in 1^st quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, the shares of Squid, Fimbriated Sardines, Anchovies, and Spanish Mackerel production to the total commercial fisheries output in the said quarter were 11.36 percent, 5.60 percent, 5.29 percent, and 5.12 percent, respectively. (Figure 2)

The total value of commercial fisheries production in La Union in 1^st quarter 2024 was PhP10,951.67 which was 66.76 percent lower than its value in 1^st quarter 2023 of PhP32,947.19.

The top three species with the highest contribution to the total value of commercial fisheries production in 1^st quarter 2024 included Squid with PhP1,985.48 (18.13 percent share), Spanish Mackerel with PhP1,068.66 (9.76 percent share), and Slipmouth with PhP650.95 (5.94 percent share). The value of production for Squid and Spanish Mackerel went up by 150.73 percent and 524.73 percent from their values of production in 1^st quarter 2023 of PhP791.88 and Php171.06. Meanwhile, there is no value of production for Slipmouth in 1^st quarter 2023. (Table 1)

Data for commercial fisheries were obtained from Local Government Unit (LGU) -managed fish landing centers, privately-managed fish landing centers, and traditional fish landing centers.

TECHNICAL NOTES

Landing Center is a place where the fish catch and other aquatic products are unloaded and traded. Traditional landing center is a type of landing center where fishermen could unload their catch and/or dock their fishing boats without any obligation or payment for the use of the place.

Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey (Traditional Landing Center) is a quarterly survey on the volume of fish unloading in traditional landing centers and the price of fish by species. It gathers data on a quarterly basis but the information that is collected is about monthly fish unloading.

Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey (Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), Local Government Units (LGUs), Privately-Managed Landing Centers) is the gathering of data from the records of the PFDA, LGU and privately-managed landing centers. It is done on a quarterly basis but the information being collected is on each of the three months included in the reference quarter.

SGD. DANITES E. TEÑIDO, PhD 
Chief Statistical Specialist

/MAQ/MFC