Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics show that local 2009 production from all types of aquafarm increased by 1.48% or 260,911tonnes from the previous year's 257,110.41 tonnes. About 94% of the local tilapia production came from freshwater environment and 6% from brackishwater.

 

BAS figures show tilapia production from freshwater fishponds increased by 1.08% from last year's level. Production in Pampanga – one of the country's leading tilapia producers - was up by 4.68%. According to BAS, the increase was due to the expansion of harvest area and the reopening of some closed areas during the second quarter. Good water condition resulting in abundant supply of natural food has also accelerated the growth of tilapia in the third quarter. In Tarlac - another leading tilapia producer - production went up by 11.45% due to the availability of quality fingerlings coupled with better management practices during the second quarter. Meanwhile, the province of Isabela only registered a 0.10% growth due to the reactivation of some fishponds and the shifting of extensive culture system to semi-intensive culture system during the third quarter. BAS said the meagre increase in area harvested was the farmers' hastiness to avail of the seasonal increase in the demand for fish during holiday season in the fourth quarter. On the other hand, BAS reports a production drop in Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan by 28.10% and 7.12% respectively due to overflowing fishponds caused by typhoon Pepeng during the fourth quarter.

 

Meanwhile, production from freshwater cages grew by 2.45% due to gains recorded in these provinces: Batangas, 7.20%; Laguna, 1.89% and Albay 10.67%. According to BAS, the dismantling of abandoned and damaged fish cages resulted in growth of tilapia in Batangas with lesser mortality rate during the first semester. In Laguna, the increase was due to quality fingerlings and intensive feeding that resulted in bigger sizes of tilapia harvested during the second quarter. The increase of tilapia output in Albay was attributed to the additional fish cages in Libon due to high demand and higher prices. On the contrary, BAS says Camarines Sur and Rizal indicated 18.86%and 14.73% decreases, respectively, due to a fishkill in Lake Bato because of overstocking that resulted in lack in oxygen during the second quarter. In Rizal, the decrease was brought about by the overflowing of many fish cages due to typhoon Ondoy as well as the thickening of water lilies in the lake during the fourth quarter.

 

The 1.86% output increase from freshwater pens was contributed by Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao and Davao del Norte. Sultan Kudarat rose its output  by 12.69% because of cropping movement from last quarter of 2008 to first quarter of 2009 and those pens that were under repair were back in operation. According to BAS, the volume of tilapia harvests in Maguindanao went up by 4.55% due to the availability of funds for operation during the fourth quarter. Davao del Norte's increase of 34.10% this year is due to simultaneous harvest at Maligaya Fish Farmers Integrated Multi-Purpose Cooperative as well as the rehabilitation of damaged fish pens during the second and third quarters of 2009.

 

A 26.59% decrease in output was recorded in brackishwater fish cages and pens, particularly in Cagayan and Ilocos Norte where production went down by 46.19% and 26.35%, respectively. BAS says the overflowing of fish cages due to the series of typhoons last year caused the decrease in area in Cagayan. In Ilocos Norte, operations were adversely affected by typhoons Gorio and Isang which discouraged farmers to set up their cages because of their apprehension that early rains might result in flood and overflowing of water in the fourth quarter. On the contrary, only La Union showed an increase of 4.57% because of the availability of quality fingerlings, proper feeding and good water parameter due to the frequent rains during the first semester of 2009.

 

 

A native of Africa, tilapia was introduced in the 1950s through the Mozambique strain. But it was in 1970s that production boomed when the Nile tilapia offered a better option than its African counterpart: tastier, lighter in colour and grows faster. It was also on that period that the development of the hormone-induced sex reversal (HSR) method was introduced. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the US, HSR is done through an oral treatment of "sexless" fry through a synthetic male hormone that would convert would-be female fish into faster growing and non-reproducing males. In 1990s, there was an erratic production of tilapia due to fishkills which made tilapia vulnerable to diseases. This prompted scientists and researchers to create a variety that could adopt to certain difficult situations.

 

Hence, through the efforts of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and other government agencies, EXCEL (Excellent strain that has Comparable advantage with other tilapia strains for Entrepreneurial Livelihood) tilapia was introduced in 2002. According to BFAR, EXCEL tilapia is 38% more efficient than the regular tilapia in terms of growth and yield of edible meat. It grows 10% faster than the traditional tilapia and is resistant to common stress and diseases. BFAR said it is cheaper to cultivate since it can be produced both artificially and naturally. It is also said to be an efficient food converter and can be raised four times a year unlike traditional tilapia, which can only be produced up to three croppings a year.

 

Local tilapia is already exported in US, Brunei and Japan through skinned tilapia fillets. BFAR Director Malcolm Sarmiento said the exports are already drawing raves and he sees huge as well as better markets in the next few years. Another interesting development is the utilisation of tilapia's byproducts. Tilapia skin is now processed into leather goods, clothing and even snack goods. Scales on the other hand can be processed into gelatine for pharmaceuticals and trimmings for specialty soups. Small-sized tilapia can now be transformed into boneless "tilanggit" or dried tilapia, similar to the popular "danggit" of Cebu.

 

With an annual global growth production rate of 12% yearly, experts believe the future prospects of tilapia are globally bright. Estimated to draw at least US$2 billion in world trade, demand for tilapia is seen rapidly growing, particularly for the US which is the biggest market for whole and filleted tilapia. Before this year ends, local tilapia production is expected to reach 2.9 million tonnes to feed the 90 million Filipinos. The main challenge however is the sustainability of its growth in the long-term in a manner that all aspects of society will benefit particularly the rural sector. In terms of addressing the country's food security, much is expected from Philippine tilapia aquaculture and the fishing industry can bank on its profitability.