Western Visayas Fisheries Up 14.1% in Q1 2025

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The fisheries production of Western Visayas grew by 14.1 percent in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 59,786 metric tons from 52,415 metric tons in the same period in 2024, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The increase, equivalent to 7,371 metric tons, was driven primarily by expansions in aquaculture and inland municipal fisheries, which rose by 37.6 percent and 19.9 percent, respectively.

Aquaculture accounted for the majority share of total fisheries output in the region at 59.8 percent.

Municipal fisheries contributed 21.4 percent, combining marine municipal fisheries at 97.4 percent and inland municipal fisheries at 2.6 percent.

Commercial fisheries, meanwhile, held an 18.7 percent share of the regional total.

Among the provinces, Antique was the top contributor to aquaculture production with a 63.7 percent share, rising by 41.2 percent from the previous year. Capiz followed with a 22.6 percent share and an increase of 17.3 percent.

Iloilo, with 9.7 percent, more than doubled its output, jumping by 135.7 percent. Aklan contributed 2.2 percent and posted a 54.8 percent rise. Guimaras was the only province to post a decline in aquaculture production, dropping by 33.4 percent.

Marine municipal fisheries posted a slight decline of 1.9 percent, or about 236 metric tons less than the previous year.

Antique, the largest marine municipal producer with a 36.0 percent share, saw a decrease of 19.4 percent. Guimaras, which held a 6.6 percent share, also declined by 17.6 percent. In contrast, Iloilo grew by 28.1 percent, Capiz by 11.5 percent, and Aklan by 9.3 percent.

Inland municipal fisheries expanded by 19.9 percent, translating to an increase of 56 metric tons from the 280 metric tons produced in Q1 2024.

Aklan led with a 36.9 percent share and a surge of 167.5 percent. Guimaras rose by 77.2 percent, Antique by 25.6 percent, and Iloilo by 3.7 percent. Capiz, despite holding the largest share at 47.7 percent, posted a 16.4 percent decrease.

Commercial fisheries declined by 16.6 percent, with total production dropping from 13,432 metric tons in Q1 2024 to 11,208 metric tons in Q1 2025. Capiz, which accounted for the largest share at 38.0 percent, decreased by 3.7 percent.

Antique held a 23.8 percent share and fell by 16.0 percent. Aklan, contributing 10.6 percent, suffered the sharpest drop at 62.3 percent. Iloilo, with 27.5 percent, was the only province to show growth in this sector, increasing by 15.8 percent. Guimaras has no commercial fisheries landing center.

In terms of value, the region’s fisheries production reached PHP 4.73 billion in the first quarter of 2025, a 4.9 percent increase or PHP 222 million more than the PHP 4.51 billion recorded in the same period of 2024.

Municipal fisheries contributed the largest share at 38.7 percent, rising by 9.3 percent. Within this subsector, marine fisheries increased by 9.2 percent to PHP 1.79 billion, while inland fisheries rose by 11.4 percent to PHP 41.97 million.

Aquaculture accounted for 31.3 percent of the total value and posted a 19.5 percent increase to PHP 1.48 billion. Commercial fisheries made up 30.0 percent of the total but declined by 10.9 percent to PHP 1.42 billion.

The top five species by volume of production in Q1 2025 were led by seaweed at 22,881 metric tons, followed by milkfish at 7,800 metric tons.

Oyster placed third with 3,835 metric tons, while roundscad and Bali sardinella followed at 2,175 and 1,940 metric tons, respectively.

Data in the report exclude figures from Negros Occidental due to the enactment of Republic Act No. 12000, or the “Negros Island Region Act.”