The Ilocos Region recorded 2,475.02 metric tons of production from commercial fisheries in first quarter 2024, higher than the 595.77 metric tons output in first quarter 2023.
 

Pangasinan commercial fisheries production had spiked from 382.59 metric tons in 2023 to 2,365.02 metric tons in the first quarter 2024. Likewise, Ilocos Sur increased by 386.30 percent from 8.25 metric tons in first quarter 2023 to 40.12 metric tons in the same quarter of 2024. Meanwhile, La Union registered a decrease of 65.9 percent.

locos Region's commercial species with major contribution during the first quarter 2024 were skipjack, yellowfin tuna, roundscad, Spanish mackerel and bigeye tuna.

Skipjack contributed the highest share to the commercial fisheries production at 36.1 percent or 893.34 metric tons. Similarly, there were 760.07 metric of yellowfin tuna and 349.41 metric tons of roundscad which shared 30.7 percent and 14.1 percent, respectively, to the total commercial fisheries of the region. Meanwhile, Spanish mackerel and bigeye tuna have combined output of 4.5 percent out of the total production.

Skipjack production had the highest increment in commercial fisheries of the region at 2,231.3 percent. Yellowfin tuna had a positive growth of 1,113.4 percent from the 62.64 metric tons in first quarter 2023. Similarly, roundscad production also improved from 51.52 metric tons to 349.41 metric tons, an increase of 578.2 percent.

On the other hand, frigate tuna posted a decline in first quarter 2024 with an output of 22.09 metric tons from 64.97 metric tons in the same quarter in 2023, translating to a 66.0 percent decrease. Meanwhile, hairtail and threadfin bream production diminished by 48.4 and 67.0 percent, respectively.

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