FISH production in Northern Mindanao continues to decline, reaching only 32,719 metric tons in the first quarter of 2018, a 2.7 percent reduction from the yearago level of 33,640 metric tons.

According to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda)-Northern Mindanao, the decline was noted across all sectors - commercial, municipal fishing, and aquaculture.

Among the three sectors, commercial fishery posted the largest decrease at 3.9 percent to 8,600 metric tons from 8,947 metric tons in the same period of 2017.

Neda-Northern Mindanao said the sector experienced negative yield due to weather disturbances resulting in less fishing activities during the quarter as well as because of the dry docking of some fishing boats for repair and maintenance.

Similar circumstances were also encountered by the municipal fishery sector as the reduced number of fishing trips pulled down its production by 1.3 percent to 9,852 metric tons from 9,979 metric tons.

Decreased volume of catch of indian sardines, likewise, contributed to the decline during the quarter.

Same trend was also noted in the aquaculture fishery registering three percent drop in the production volume to only 14,266 metric tons.

Although brackishwater and freshwater posted increases during the said quarter (0.99 percent and 27.5 percent, respectively), marine fishcage/pens and seaweeds went down by 9.5 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.

Seaweeds, which shared almost 49 percent of the total aquaculture production, has resulted negative yield (from 7,422 metric tons to 6,961 metric tons) due to the ice-ice disease caused by the decrease in area harvested.

According to Neda, the 'ice-ice' disease is brought about by epiphytes, changes in water temperature, and salinity which resulted in decreased yield of seaweeds.

Some seaweed farmers were also discouraged and stopped rearing the commodity due to low price of harvest.