Inland municipal fisheries volume of production increases by 0.6 percent

Inland fisheries volume of production in Ilocos Region recorded 571.75 metric tons in the first quarter 2024, or 0.6 percent higher than the 568.14 metric tons recorded in the first quarter 2023.

The province of Pangasinan has the biggest contribution in the region's inland municipal fisheries production with 348.36 metric tons, equivalent to 60.9 percent share. La Union followed at a volume of 117.26 metric tons or 20.5 percent. Meanwhile, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte shared 12.7 percent and 5.9 percent, respectively, to the inland municipal fisheries production of the region.

Pangasinan pulled up the overall inland municipal fisheries production of the region. It recorded positive growth of 12.8 percent in the first quarter 2024 from 308.72 metric tons output in 2023 of the same quarter. On the other hand, Ilocos Norte, La Union, and Ilocos Sur declined in production by 22.1 percent, 12.2 percent, and 12.3 percent, respectively.

Milkfish recorded the highest volume of production

The top five species caught in inland municipal waters in the first quarter 2024 were milkfish, oyster, freshwater shrimp, tilapia and mullet.

Milkfish recorded the highest volume of production at 157.28 metric tons, which comprised 27.5 percent of the total inland municipal fisheries production in the region. Its production increased by 681.7 percent from the 20.12 metric tons output in the first quarter 2023.

Oyster production in the region recorded 50.03 metric tons or 8.8 percent of the total inland municipal fisheries production. Its output decreased by 20.5 percent compared to its level in the same quarter of 2023.

Production of freshwater shrimp was estimated at 44.22 metric tons which increased by 87.1 percent in first quarter 2024. Tilapia production decreased by 57.0 percent from the 84.79 metric tons output in the first quarter 2023. Meanwhile, mullet recorded 35.07 metric tons output or 99.0 percent higher than the production in the same period in 2023.

SGD. ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN, CPA
Regional Director