Aquaculture production in Ilocos Region grew by 22.87 percent in third quarter 2022. From the 25,196.25 metric tons in third quarter 2921, the output increased to 30,958.20 metric tons in third quarter 2022.

Pangasinan dominates the aquaculture production of the Ilocos Region covering 96.55 percent of the harvest. The other provinces in the region cumulatively contributed 3.45 percent.

Marine cages all over the region were able to produce 24,532.39 metric tons of fish covering 79.24 percent of the region’s aquaculture production. Meanwhile, brackishwater fishponds’ production was at 5,975.37 metric tons covering 19.30 percent. The other aqua farm types covered 1.46 percent.

Pangasinan topped in brackish fishpond, freshwater fishpond, marine cage and seaweed farm production, while La Union was number one producer in brackishwater pen, marine pen and oyster farm. Meanwhile, most of the freshwater pen and freshwater cage production were from Ilocos Sur while brackishwater cage and small farm reservior were from Ilocos Norte. There were no harvest from rice fish during the third quarter 2022.

The top species produced in aquaculture farms in the region were milkfish, tilapia, and tiger prawn contributing 97.51 percent, 1.29 percent, and 0.87 percent to the total production, respectively. Other species contributed 0.33 percent.

Aquaculture by Province

In Ilocos Norte, most of their aquaculture production was from brackishwater cages which composed 37.14 percent of their overall aquaculture production. This was followed by freshwater fishponds and small farm reservoirs at 35.34 percent and 15.62 percent, respectively. Other aquafarms contributed 11.90 percent. (Refer to Table 2)

Ilocos Norte was the sole province in the Ilocos Region to have tilapia as its top fish species produced in third quarter 2022. Tilapia contributed 91.76 percent of the province’s aquaculture production. Milkfish ranked second at 5.34 percent followed by catfish at 2.65 percent. Other fish species contributed 0.25 percent.

Ilocos Sur, the province with the most variety of aquafarms in the region, had most of their production from brackishwater fishponds sharing 63.30 percent of the province’s output. Freshwater fishpond was the second contributor to the province’s aquaculture production composing 34.98 percent. Meanwhile, the other eight aquafarm types contributed 1.72 percent of the production. (Refer to Table 2)

Ilocos Sur’s aquaculture production was comprised of milkfish of about 50.00 percent, tiger prawn by 27.95 percent, tilapia by 21.74, and other species at 0.31percent.

Bulk of the aquaculture production of La Union in third quarter 2022 was brackishwater fishpond at 44.37 percent share. Other top contributory aquafarm types were marine cages and brackishwater pens. Cumulatively, other aquafarm types contributed 5.1 percent of the province's overall aquaculture production. (Refer to Table 2)

Like Ilocos Sur, about 50.00 percent of aquafarms in La Union was milkfish. Sharing 45.16 percent of the province’s aquaculture production was tilapia. Meanwhile, oysters contributed 1.81 percent and other fish species shared 3.03 percent of the output.

The majority of the aquaculture production of Pangasinan was from marine cages at 81.07 percent share, followed by brackishwater fishpond which contributed 18.29 percent of the province's output. Other aquafarm contributed 0.64 percent. (Refer to Table 2)

Pangasinan, living out their famous Bangus Festival, had a milkfish share of 98.30 percent of the province’s aquaculture production. All other fish species shared 1.7 percent of the output.

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