THE fisheries sector in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) registered a 4.95-percent growth in the second quarter of 2020, despite the prevailing health pandemic as compared to the same period last year.
The 4.95-percent growth translates to 9,899.94 metric tons (MT) higher, as the fishery production of the second quarter this year increased to 209,953.87 MT from 200,053.93 MT in the same period last year, according to the data gathered by the Philippine Statistics Authority-Barmm (PSA-Barmm).
PSA-Barmm Officer-in-Charge Regional Director Razulden Mangelen said with this increase, Barmm has noticeably "performed better" even at times when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and movement restrictions were put in place because of the rising number of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) cases in the country.
Mangelen said the provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi have recorded the highest contribution in the total regional production in the second quarter.
“Most of the fisheries products in Barmm were produced in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu, which contributed 44.17 percent and 36.32 percent, respectively,” Mangelen said.
He said the remaining 19.51 percent was contributed by the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao.
Mangelen added about 71.56 percent, or about 150,000 metric tons, of the total volume of fisheries production in Barmm was from Aquaculture. (SunStar Zamboanga)