MARAWI CITY (PIA) -- With 31.6 percent (%) of the nation's total fisheries production in the first quarter of 2023, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) retained its position as the leading fish producer.

This is based on the Fisheries Situationer released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on June 29.

Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) came in second with 11.6% of the fish produced in the same quarter, followed by Region 3 (Central Luzon) with 10.8% and Region 4 (CALABARZON) with 8.6%. 

Director-General for Fishery Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Pendatun Patarasa, said this was made possible by increased coordination among the necessary government agencies, the business sector, the fishing community, and other important stakeholders. 

"The factors in sustaining the fisheries production increase are the continuing technical assistance and capacity building, provision of appropriate production support on capture, aquaculture, and post-harvest and marketing to the fisherfolk, and strengthened the Fishery Regulatory, Quarantine, and Law Enforcement across the region," he said.

Patarasa said the ministry must increase its efforts to ensure the implementation of plans and programs to maximize its contribution to the improvement of the regional economy, raising the income of fisherfolk, and achieving a Bangsamoro region that is food secure.

BARMM had the highest fishery production in the entire Philippines for the two years running 2021 and 2022, but it also contributed enough to the sector's all-time high growth in 2022, contributing 30.57% and 41.27% growth to the volume of the nation's total fisheries and aquaculture production.

The nation's fisheries industry, meanwhile, has reported a new all-time high gain of 2.16% in production volume since 2010. This is because of the considerable increase in production. (RTP/BIO/PIA-10/Lanao del Sur)