Increase in Fish Port Activity Noted

The country’s eight regional fish port complexes have posted impressive figures in the first quarter of the year, indicating an increase in fish production from last year.


In a report to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala, Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) General Manager Rodolfo T. Paz Jr. said fishing arrivals rose at an average of 93 percent for the regional fish ports in Navotas, Iloilo, and Sual.


“This scenario reflects a faster turnaround of fishing vessels and bancas as a result of an increase in fish production,” Paz said.


“It should be noted that fish unloaded at the Navotas Fish Port in the first quarter of the year was registered at 27,492 metric tons, up by 45 percent from 18,909 MT during the same period last year,” he added.


Paz also said the Davao Fish Port Complex reported a similar positive trend in fish unloading with a 40 percent growth from 812 MT last year to 1,134 MT in the first quarter.


Early this year, the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) reported that commercial fishermen produced 234,960.12 metric tons of fish for the first quarter, 57,120.78 metric tons lower than last year’s record.


Production shortfalls were largely attributed to lesser unloading of Indian sardines in Zamboanga City which was down by 16,893.75 metric tons from 26,812.25 in 2010 to 9,918.50 metric tons this quarter.


Lesser volume of unloading of frozen tuna from foreign fishing vessels at PFDA fish ports in General Santos City was recorded at 19,178.07 metric tons. Commercial fisheries contributed about 19.38 percent to the total fisheries production during the first quarter of 2011.

On the other hand, municipal fisheries production at 322,597.86 metric tons was down by 3.22 percent or 10,723.98 metric tons from last year’s level, according to the BAS data. The volume of fish unloaded by marine municipal fishing boats decreased by 4.71 percent equivalent to 13,706.37 metric tons, it further said.


Inland fishing households produced 7.02 percent or 2,982.39 metric tons more during the reference period. Of the total municipal fish production, 85 percent came from the marine sub-sector which recorded an output decline.


Municipal fisheries accounted for about 26.60 percent of the total fisheries production in the first quarter of 2011, the BAS data said.


Meanwhile, ice production also grew 148 percent from 238 MT last year to 591 MT this year at the Camaligan Fish Port, while the General Santos Fish Port Complex registered a 50 percent increase in ice production from the 2,546 MT produced last year.


The Infanta Municipal Fish Port also experienced the same positive growth with fishing vessel arrivals increasing by 21 percent and fish unloading activity by 44 percent from last year’s figures.


The PFDA also reported the completion of municipal fish ports at barangay Poblacion, Calatrava, Romblon, and at barangay Poblacion, Sapian, Capiz.


Improvements are presently being done at municipal port facilities in Catanauan, Quezon; Carles, Iloilo; Mercedes, Camarines Norte; and in Malolos City, Bulacan with an average of 50 percent completion rate.


The construction of the municipal fish port and ice plant in Maimbung, Sulu has commenced and is ahead of schedule, the PFDA said. Adam Borja, DA Information Service