THE catch landed at regional fishports declined 12.09% by volume year on year during the fourth quarter, according to the Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA).
In a report, the PFDA said the landed catch was 126,903.94 metric tons (MT).
On a quarter-on-quarter basis, fish volumes fell 1.8% compared with the 129,227.5 MT catch in the third quarter.
The PFDA added that the daily average of fish unloaded dropped 12.1% year on year to 1,379.39 MT. The average was 1.79% lower than a quarter earlier.
Commercial fishing was banned in several major fisheries starting in the fourth quarter, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Fishing bans were in force in Northern Palawan, Ilocos, Negros Occidental, Capiz, and Cebu during the fourth quarter of the year.
Republic Act No. 8550 or the Fisheries Code imposes a three-month closed fishing season to repopulate certain fish species. The season typically ends during the first two months of the following year.
Vessel arrivals fell to 18,391, against the year-earlier 23,986.
The PFDA added that it completed the rehabilitation of regional fish ports in Davao and Sual, Pangasinan.
In a separate briefing, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Arnel V. de Mesa said that fish production in the coming month is expected to recover with the resumption of fishing activities.
“Fishing is doing well now; our (fishing) areas are open again. We’re expecting our fishery sector to recover,” Mr. De Mesa added.
In 2024, fisheries production dropped 8.5%, reversing the 1.5% growth recorded in the prior year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. Total fisheries volume fell to 1.07 million MT from 1.17 million MT in 2023. — Adrian H. Halili