In the third quarter of 2023, the volume of fisheries production was posted at 1,017.50 thousand metric tons. This indicates an uptrend of 2.1 percent from the 996.32 thousand metric tons output in the same quarter of the previous year. Annual increments in production were noted in commercial fisheries, inland municipal fisheries, and aquaculture subsectors. However, marine municipal fisheries subsector reported an annual decline in production. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Commercial fisheries production in the third quarter of 2023 was recorded at 230.68 thousand metric tons. This represents an increase of 0.5 percent from the same quarter of the previous year's level of 229.48 thousand metric tons. The subsector comprised 22.7 percent of the total fisheries production during the period. (Figure 2 and Table 1)

The volume of production for marine municipal fisheries was estimated at 206.64 thousand metric tons. This indicates a reduction of 7.9 percent from the 224.26 thousand metric tons production in the same quarter of 2022.  The subsector’s share to the total fisheries production during the period was 20.3 percent. (Figure 3 and Table 1)

During the quarter, inland municipal fisheries production was reported at 53.04 thousand metric tons. This volume inched up by 2.8 percent from the 51.62 thousand metric tons output in the same period of the previous year. The subsector contributed 5.2 percent to the total fisheries production during the quarter. (Figure 4 and Table 1)

Aquaculture production was registered at 527.15 thousand metric tons in the third quarter of 2023. This was 7.4 percent higher than the 490.96 thousand metric tons output in the same period of 2022. The aquaculture subsector constituted the largest share of 51.8 percent to the total fisheries production during the quarter. (Figure 5 and Table 1)

Of the 20 major species, increments in the volume of fisheries production during the period were mainly driven by the annual increments noted in seaweed (14.0%), big-eyed scad (matangbaka, 32.8%), roundscad (galunggong, 17.2%), yellowfin tuna (tambakol/bariles, 28.5%), and indian mackerel (alumahan, 60.6%). (Table 2)

On the other hand, decreases were primarily reported in milkfish (bangus, -12.0%), skipjack (gulyasan, -12.6%), and fimbriated sardines (tunsoy, -37.8%). (Table 2)

DIVINA GRACIA L. DEL PRADO, PhD
Assistant Secretary
Deputy National Statistician
Sectoral Statistics Office