ARMM tops regional fisheries production in 2016

COTABATO CITY– The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is the top fish-producing region in the country in 2016, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.Based on the 2016 Fisheries Situationer released by the PSA, the region produced 824,314.52 metric tons of fisheries products in 2016. The region’s production accounts for 18.93% of the country’s total production at 4,354,472.61 metric tons in 2016. Zamboanga Peninsula followed with 554,769.71 metric tons, and MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Tomblon and Palawan) with 482,790.71 metric tons.The situationer report presents the data on volume and value of production of fisheries during the period. It contains information on the current situation by major species of the three fisheries subsector, namelyand commercial fisheries, municipal fisheries, and aquaculture.The region is the top producer of roundscad (galunggong) with 24,264.33 metric tons, frigate tuna (tulingan) with 24,815.91 metric tons, Indian mackerel with 10,737.33 metric tons, eastern little tuna (bonito) with 12,994.80 metric tons, and seaweeds with 613,174.28 metric tons.Janice Desamito-Musali, director of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-ARMM, the high fisheries production of the region could be attributed to different factors.The region also produces the biggest seaweeds volume in the country. The ARMM’s seaweeds production accounts for 43.66% of the country's total with 1,404,519.23 metric tons. The coastlines of the islands in the region have wider stretch, which is very suitable for seaweeds farming, Dir Musali said. Good weather conditions, lesser occurrences of ‘ice-ice’ diseases, good quality planting materials and favorable water conditions enhance the growth of seaweeds in our region, added Dir. Musali.A total of 159,123 fishermen are operating in the 18,426,613 hectares of territorial water area under the region’s administrative jurisdiction. The fishing grounds in the region include Illana Bay, Moro Gulf, Basilan Strait, Sulu Sea and Celebes Sea.In 2015 and 2016, the region was also the country’s highest producer of fishery products. The region produced 867,272 metric tons in 2015, and 856,957.27 metric tons in 2014 – a contribution equivalent to 18.65% and 18.27% of national production, respectively.The region also posted the highest inland fisheries production with 243,134.78 metric tons, followed by Zamboanga Peninsula with 126,575.07 metric tons, and Central Luzon with 92,609.51 metric tons.The Fisheries situationer serves as an output of the four fisheries surveys regularly conducted by the PSA. The surveys are Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey, Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey, Quarterly Inland Fisheries Survey and Quarterly Aquaculture Survey.