TACLOBAN CITY -- Fishery production in Leyte registered an overall decrease of 24.97% from 6,356.32 metric tons (MT) in the first quarter of 2022 to 4,769.08 MT during the first quarter of 2023.
The decline was attributed to decreases in the production of municipal (-29.05%) and commercial (-18.58%) fisheries sub-sectors, except for aquaculture fisheries which registered increase in production posting at 14.04%. Leyte’s fishery production accounted for 22.52% of the total 21,177.69 MT fishery production in Eastern Visayas during the quarter in review.
Aquaculture fishery production in Leyte significantly increased by 14.04% from 499.79 MT in the first quarter of 2022 to 569.97 MT during the same quarter in 2022. The increment was attributed to increases in the production of Carp (8,611.67%), Milkfish (2,073.10%) and Seaweed (95.26%). Meanwhile, production of Milkfish during the reference quarter accounted almost half or 44.23% to the total aquaculture production in the province.
Commercial fishery production in Leyte went down to 341.60 MT during the first quarter of 2023 from 419.57 MT in the same quarter of 2022. The 18.58% decrease can be traced to lower production on the majority of the species. High decrease in production was noted in Round herring (-71.71%), followed by Fimbriated sardines (-67.58%), and Frigate tuna (-59.34%). On the other hand, increase in the volume of production were recorded on Indian mackerel (754.95%), Roundscad (105.49%), Indo-pacific mackerel (92.87%), and Big-eyed scad (57.93%).
Municipal fishery production in Leyte decreased significantly by 29.05% from 5,436.96 MT in the first quarter of 2022 to 3,857.51 MT during the first quarter of 2023. Decrease in total production was attributed to the decrease in production of marine municipal fisheries (29.45%).
Marine municipal fisheries contributed the majority or 98.73% of the total municipal fishery production in Leyte during the first quarter of 2023. Inland municipal fisheries, meanwhile, accounted for only 1.27% of the total production. (PSA Leyte)
