Guimaras’ fish production slightly surges by 1.68 pct

Guimaras’ total fishery production slightly surged by 1.68 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, from 1,698.87 metric tons (MT) in the fourth quarter of 2018, to 1,727.49 MT in Q4 2019.

The movement is almost a 29-metric ton increment, but the figure is still lower by 7.82 percent, or 146.55 MT, compared to Q4 2017 output at 1,874.04 MT.

Municipal fisheries contributed 54.82 percent to the total fishery production of the province at 946.98 MT output in Q4 2019, revealing a 2.08 MT increment compared to the 944.90 MT

production in the same quarter of 2018.

However, the figure is still lower by 13.54 percent over its 1,095.24 MT produced in Q4 2017, which is the highest production registered among the three comparable quarters.

“Moreover, 45.18 percent of the total fishery output of the province came from Aquaculture which shared 780.51 MT in Q4 2019, higher by 3.52 percent, over its 753.97 MT output in Q4 2018, which is the lowest output among Q4s of 2017-2019,” according to Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-Guimaras provincial head Nelida Losare.

Based on PSA data, the total aquaculture production in Q4 2019 was the highest ever for three comparative quarters, comprised mainly of milkfish (73.85%) cultured from brackishwater fishpond, fish cages and fish pens; seaweeds (23.22%); and tilapia (2.46%) produced from both brackish and freshwater environments.

Other species which include mudcrab, oyster, catfish, white shrimp, endeavor prawn, spiny lobster, grouper, tiger prawn and some other species, gave in 0.47 percent to the total aquaculture output.

Meanwhile, the top five marine species found in Guimaras were Anchovies, Cavalla, Fimbriated sardines, Siganid and Slipmouth. Two of five marine species (anchovies or Dilis) and Cavalla or Talakitok recorded downtrend production for three comparative quarters, while three others: Fimbriated sardines (Tabagak); Siganid (Samaral/Ngisingisi) and Slipmouth (sapsap) showed erratic movements.