March 28, 2008 

Philippine fisheries expect record output

The fishery sector in the Philippines is expecting to reach a 5.3 million tonnes this year, as the Department of Agriculture (DA) continues to beef up anti-poaching efforts and aquaculture projects.

Of this volume, some 2.7 million tonnes are estimated to come from the aquaculture sector, 1.15 million tonnes from commercial fisheries, and 1.48 million MT from municipal fishing.

According to DA secretary Arthur C. Yap, the sector will particularly pursue the expansion of seaweed farming as well as other high value species such as abalone, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and the Pacific white shrimp.

In 2007, the fisheries industry posted the biggest growth of 6.81 percent among agriculture subsectors with gross production value reaching P180.7 billion at current prices.

Production reached 4.7 million tonnes, accounting for 25.44 percent of total agriculture output.

Through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the DA said it would build more mariculture parks this year to add to the 25 mariculture parks currently in operation.

According to BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento Jr., the bureau has been aggressively pushing for the culture of high-value fish species in mariculture parks to provide higher income for fisherfolk and generate livelihood for their families.

Seaweeds, carageenan, prawns and shrimps were among the country's top exports last year.