Central Luzon’s total volume of municipal fisheries production decreases by 23.0 percent in the second quarter of 2024

The Central Luzon’s total volume of municipal fisheries production was recorded at 10,391.4 metric tons in the second quarter of 2024. It registered a decrease of 23.0 percent or 3,104.7 metric tons from the production in the same period of 2023. (Table 1)

Marine municipal fisheries production declined by 26.8 percent from the recorded 8,385.5 metric tons in the second quarter of 2023 to 6,141.8 metric tons in the same period of 2024. Likewise, inland fisheries production decreased by 16.8 percent to 4,249.6 metric tons in the second quarter of 2024 from 5,110.6 metric tons in the second quarter of 2023. (Figure 1 and Table 1)

Marine municipal fisheries accounted 59.1 percent of the total municipal fisheries production while inland municipal fisheries comprised the remaining 40.9 percent. (Figure 2)

The double-digit decrease in the marine municipal fisheries production can be attributed to the decline in the production in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, and Pampanga. On the other hand, the provinces of Bulacan and Zambales recorded an increase in production by 32.7 and 4.7 percent, respectively. (Figure 3 and Table 2)

Meanwhile, the decline in the production in inland fisheries may be attributed by the decrease posted by the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Aurora, and Zambales. Pampanga contributed 71.9 percent on the total inland fisheries followed by Bulacan with 20.1 percent share. (Figure 4 and Table 3)

In the second quarter of 2024, Acetes (Alamang) constituted the largest share of Central Luzon’s total marine municipal fisheries production at 27.3 percent, followed by Eastern Little Tuna (Bonito) (8.9%) and Roundscad (Galunggong) (6.7%). Meanwhile, the top three major species in terms of volume of production in inland municipal fisheries were tilapia (19.1%), blue crab (alimasag) (9.1%), and carp (9.1%). (Tables 4 and 5)

ARLENE M. DIVINO
Regional Director
PSA RSSO 03

Statistical Tables

Technical Notes

The Fisheries Production Survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is divided into four (4) major fisheries surveys. These are the Quarterly Commercial Fisheries Survey (QCFS), Quarterly Municipal Fisheries Survey (QMFS), Quarterly Inland Fisheries Survey (QIFS), and Quarterly Aquaculture Survey (QAqS). 

The QMFS gathers information on the volume and price of species unloaded in the landing center.  However, unlike QCFS, it covers fishing operations performed in marine waters within 15 kilometers from the shoreline using fishing vessels of three (3) gross tons or less, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing vessels.  In Central Luzon, QMFS is conducted in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Zambales.  

The QIFS gathers information on volume and price of species caught by inland fishing household.  Inland Fisheries covers fishing operations performed in inland bodies of water using fishing vessels of three (3) gross tons or less, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing vessels. QIFS is conducted in all provinces in Central Luzon.   

Inland municipal fisheries included fishing activities in inland bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, dams, marshes, swamps, etc. The unit of enumeration for QIFS is the household engaged in inland fishing. 

The sampling frame for QMFS was established in 2000 through a nationwide listing of landing centers (LCs). Updating of the lists was conducted over the years. It employed a two-stage stratified random sampling with the landing centers as the first-stage sampling units and the fishing boats as the second stage sampling units. The landing centers were stratified based on volume of fish unloaded. However, starting second quarter of 2022, the redesigned QMFS utilized the 2021 Listing of Marine Fish Landing Centers (LMFLC) as the sampling frame and new sample selection procedure. The province was the domain of the survey. 

The reference and enumeration periods by survey round are as follows: