Western Visayas fisheries output falls 8.3% in second quarter

Fisheries production in Western Visayas fell 8.3% to 66,003 metric tons in the second quarter of 2026, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Regional Statistical Services Office VI reported.

The volume was 5,959 metric tons lower than the 71,962 metric tons recorded in the same quarter of 2025, according to the special release dated Aug. 27, 2026.

The decline was attributed to aquaculture and commercial fisheries, which contracted by 17.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Municipal fisheries grew by 8.1%.

Aquaculture accounted for the largest share of regional output at 50.4%, followed by commercial fisheries at 26.1% and municipal fisheries at 23.5%. Marine sources made up 97.7% of municipal output and inland waters 2.3%.

Aquaculture production dropped to 33,274 metric tons from 40,151 metric tons, with all five provinces posting declines.

Capiz, which held the biggest share at 56.7%, fell 16.4% to 18,869 metric tons from 22,567 metric tons. Antique, with a 36.9% share, slid 15.7% to 12,282 metric tons from 14,564 metric tons.

Iloilo, at 4.2% share, decreased 12.2% to 1,383 metric tons from 1,575 metric tons. Aklan, at 1.5%, dropped 32.7% to 509 metric tons from 756 metric tons. Guimaras, at 0.7%, plunged 66.6% to 230 metric tons from 689 metric tons.

Marine municipal fisheries rose 8.1%, or 1,138 metric tons, to 15,138 metric tons from 14,000 metric tons.

Iloilo, with a 27.3% share, expanded 33.9% to 4,129 metric tons from 3,083 metric tons. Aklan, with 25.7%, grew 22.8% to 3,891 metric tons from 3,168 metric tons. Guimaras, with 9.0%, edged up 1.3% to 1,355 metric tons from 1,338 metric tons.

Antique, with a 29.1% share, declined 4.1% to 4,405 metric tons from 4,592 metric tons, while Capiz, with 9.0%, dropped 25.3% to 1,359 metric tons from 1,820 metric tons.

Inland municipal fisheries also grew 8.1%, adding 26.62 metric tons to the 326.98 metric tons posted in the second quarter of 2025 for a total of 354 metric tons.

Capiz, holding 54.6% of inland output, increased 32.3% to 193 metric tons from 146 metric tons. Iloilo, at 15.9%, grew 77.6% to 56 metric tons from 32 metric tons. Guimaras, at 6.0%, rose 108.2% to 21 metric tons from 10 metric tons.

Aklan, at 20.1% share, contracted 40.9% to 71 metric tons from 120 metric tons, and Antique, at 3.4%, fell 37.0% to 12 metric tons from 19 metric tons.

Commercial fisheries slipped 1.4%, or 246 metric tons, to 17,237 metric tons from 17,484 metric tons.

Iloilo, with a 24.4% share, fell 49.5% to 4,212 metric tons from 8,335 metric tons. Antique, with 29.3%, grew 21.4% to 5,048 metric tons from 4,156 metric tons. Capiz, with 23.6%, rose 7.5% to 4,061 metric tons from 3,778 metric tons. Aklan, with 22.7%, surged 222.6% to 3,917 metric tons from 1,214 metric tons.

Guimaras is the only province in the region without a commercial fisheries landing center, the PSA said.

Total municipal fisheries output by province reached 4,416 metric tons in Antique from 4,611 metric tons; 4,185 metric tons in Iloilo from 3,114 metric tons; 3,962 metric tons in Aklan from 3,288 metric tons; 1,552 metric tons in Capiz from 1,966 metric tons; and 1,376 metric tons in Guimaras from 1,348 metric tons.

The value of fisheries production in the region settled at PHP 6.89 billion, down 6.3% or PHP 462.23 million from PHP 7.35 billion a year earlier.

Aquaculture, with a 36.8% share of total value, contracted 12.9% to PHP 2.53 billion from PHP 2.91 billion, when it held a 39.5% share.

Commercial fisheries, with a 32.1% share, declined 9.6% to PHP 2.21 billion from PHP 2.45 billion, when it accounted for 33.3%.

Municipal fisheries, with a 31.1% share, expanded 7.3% to PHP 2.14 billion from PHP 2.00 billion, when its share was 27.2%. Marine municipal value rose 7.4% to PHP 2.11 billion from PHP 1.96 billion, lifting its share to 30.6% from 26.7%, while inland municipal value grew 5.3% to PHP 39.37 million from PHP 37.41 million, or 0.6% of total value from 0.5%.

Milkfish led the region’s top five species by volume at 17,884 metric tons, down 10.9%, with an average farmgate price of PHP 130.08 per kilogram, up 0.7%.

Seaweed followed at 12,438 metric tons, down 14.7%, priced at PHP 13.98 per kilogram, up 4.2%. Roundscad reached 3,251 metric tons, down 11.7%, at PHP 125.67 per kilogram, down 14.7%.

Big-eyed scad rose 44.1% to 2,624 metric tons, with an average farmgate price of PHP 161.22 per kilogram, up 1.9%. Oyster fell 24.6% to 1,979 metric tons, priced at PHP 19.03 per kilogram, up 5.4%.