COTABATO CITY—Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ranked first among the country’s top five (5) fish-producing regions during the second quarter of 2022.
Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Fisheries Situation Report from April to June 2022, the total volume of fisheries production in the country reached 1,213.31 metric tons (MT). Of the total volume, BARMM has total fisheries production of 346.42 MT or 28.6%, making it the biggest contributor for fisheries production in the Philippines.
BARMM was followed by the Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX) with 153.38 MT (12.6%); Central Luzon (Region III) with 130.79 MT (10.8 %); Western Visayas (Region VI) with 96.66 MT (8.0%); and SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) with 89.41 MT (7.4%).
Most of the fisheries productions in BARMM, which are mainly aquaculture, were produced in the island provinces of Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, and Basilan. The remaining were from Maguindanao, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur.
Fisheries produced in the region were seaweeds, frigate tuna (tulingan), round scad (galunggong), big-eyed scad (matambaka), Bali sardinella (tamban), eastern little tuna (bonito), skipjack (gulyasan), Indian mackerel (alumahan), yellowfin tuna (tambako/bariles), and tilapia, among others. (Kasan Usop, Jr./BIO)
