Aklan aquafarm operators urged to give accurate PSA data

KALIBO, Aklan — The Philippine Statistics Authority in Aklan is urging aquafarm owners and operators across the province to provide truthful and complete information as the agency conducts the 2026 Updating of the List of Aquaculture Farms from July through August.

The nationwide listing activity, known as ULAF, seeks to establish and maintain an updated registry and statistical sampling frame of all active aquaculture operations in the country.

The activity is intended to provide the PSA with a comprehensive and updated inventory of aquaculture farms that will serve as the basis for selecting samples for future aquaculture surveys.

Data collected during the ULAF include the type and location of each aquafarm, operator information, major cultured species, and the farm’s total area or production capacity.

The information is used to generate accurate and reliable quarterly fisheries statistics and support policymakers, planners, and other stakeholders in developing evidence-based programs related to agriculture, fisheries, and food security.

Peter S. Mangilog, officer in charge of PSA Aklan, said information provided by aquafarm owners and operators is vital to improving the quality, timeliness, and reliability of fisheries statistics used in government planning, policymaking, and decision-making in the aquaculture sector.

He encouraged aquafarm owners and operators who will be visited by PSA data collectors to participate in the activity and provide the information needed to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the listing.

The 2026 ULAF covers all types of aquaculture farms, including fishponds, fish pens, fish cages, seaweed farms, oyster farms, mussel farms, fish tanks, hatcheries, rice-fish culture areas, and small farm reservoirs, whether production is intended for commercial use or solely for household consumption.

In addition to gathering information about aquaculture operations, data collectors are tasked with obtaining the geographic coordinates, or geotag points, of each aquafarm to accurately identify its location.

“Unlike other surveys, this activity is more challenging because our enumerators need to locate and geotag the aquafarms.

“When operators are not present in their farms, our data collectors need to visit their residences to obtain the required information, which adds to the complexity of the operation,” Mangilog explained.

PSA Aklan appealed for the continued cooperation and support of aquafarm owners, operators, and other stakeholders to help ensure the smooth and successful implementation of the activity.

The agency said all information collected during the 2026 ULAF will be treated with utmost confidentiality and will not be used for taxation, investigation, or any legal purpose.

The confidentiality of collected information is protected under Republic Act No. 10625, or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013, along with other applicable data privacy and confidentiality laws.

Around 35 PSA data collectors are currently deployed across Aklan to conduct the updating activity and gather information from aquaculture operators.