FOURTH QUARTER FISHERY PRODUCTION DECREASED BY 26.05 PERCENT 

The total fishery production in Biliran reached 1,326.92 metric tons (MT) during the fourth quarter of 2022. This figure is lower by 26.05 percent compared to 1,794.36 MT production of same quarter of 2021. This can be attributed to the observed decrease in the municipal fishery and aquaculture sector (Refer to Table 1). 

By sector, the commercial fishery accounted the largest share (50.25 %) of the total fishery production in the province during the fourth quarter of 2022. Municipal fishery and aquaculture comprised the remaining 49.07 percent and 0.68 percent, respectively.

COMMERCIAL FISHERY

Provincial commercial fishery production was recorded at 666.79 MT during the fourth quarter of 2022. This posted an increase of 9.08 percent than its production of 611.31 MT during the same quarter of 2021.

Among the commercial fishes caught during the fourth quarter of 2022, Roundscad had the biggest production with 458.55 MT (68.77 %). Indo-pacific mackerel came in next with a production of 87.09 MT (13.06 %), followed by Frigate tuna with 56.78 MT (8.52 %), Indian mackerel with 26.46 MT (3.97 %), and Bali sardinella with 19.32 MT (2.90%).

MUNICIPAL FISHERY

The province recorded a total municipal fishery production of 651.11 MT during the fourth quarter of 2022. This figure is 44.14 percent lower compared to its production of 1,165.57 MT during the same quarter of 2021. 

By subsector, marine municipal accounted for almost all (99.98%) of the total municipal fishery production in the fourth quarter of 2022 while inland fishery comprised 0.02 percent.

The production of marine municipal fishery declined by 44.12 percent from 1,165.10 MT during the fourth quarter of 2021 to 651 MT during the fourth quarter of 2022.

The top five catch for the marine municipal fishery during the fourth quarter of 2022 were Threadfin bream with 104.64 MT (16.07 %), Bali sardinella with 84.15 MT (12.93 %), Roundscad with 42.17 MT (6.48 %), Goatfish with 30.59 MT (4.70 %), and Grouper with 26.86 MT (4.13 %).

In contrast, the inland fishery production of the province decreased by 76.60 percent from 0.47 MT during the fourth quarter of 2021 to 0.11 MT during the fourth quarter of 2022.

The top catch for inland species were Tilapia with 0.05 MT (45.45 %), Eel with 0.03 MT (27.27 %), and Snail, Freshwater goby, and Catfish with 0.01 MT (9.09 %) each.

AQUACULTURE FISHERY

Aquaculture fishery contributed the least to the total provincial fishery production. A total of 9.02 MT was recorded during the fourth quarter of 2022 which is lower by 48.40 percent than its production of 17.48 MT during the same quarter of 2021. The catch for this sector were milkfish with a production of 8.33 MT (92.35 %), and tilapia with a production of 0.64 MT (7.10 %), and eel with a producion of 0.04 (0.44 %).

SGD. RENAVIL V. CUEVA
Chief Statistical Specialist