Fisheries in Philippines are expected to grow 7 percent this year than in the past two years. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), an agency attached to the Agriculture department, explained that a 7 percent fisheries output growth this year, up from the 5.78 percent rise recorded last year and 6.8 percent growth in 2007. BFAR Director Malcolm I. Sarmiento, Jr., said that the value of fisheries production rose to P85.328 billion last year from P80.661 billion in 2007.
Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) showed that production growth target this year has been set at 10 -12 percent for aquaculture, 4 percent for commercial fisheries and 4 percent for municipal fisheries. Sarmiento also informed that much of the growth would have to come from aquaculture, particularly from mariculture. He added that the bureau was still wary of another round of huge increases in fuel prices this year.
It is told that in 2007 less fishing operations due to successive increases in prices of fuel, which account for up to 70 percent of operating costs, prompted the Fisheries bureau in August to revise municipal and commercial fisheries output growth to 3 percent and 8 percent from 10 percent each. Currently there are 36 mariculture parks — caged areas in the sea that host fish cages breeding high-value fish like bangus, siganid, groupers and red snappers.
Michael P. Lim, president of the Southern Philippines Deep Sea Fishing Association, expressed that the fisheries sector accounts for a quarter total farm output. He added that the industry is comfortable with the government’s projection. He says that the possible increase in oil prices would still pose a challenge for commercial fishers.
