Fishery -all the activities connected with the securing of animal and vegetable products from the earth waters. Fishery products include such items as fish, clams, oysters, lobsters, eels, shrimps, turtles, seals, and whales. Pearl sponges, coral shells, and seaweeds are also included among the products derived from the sea. Fish provides the protein which is needed in the human diet. Fisheries are perhaps the most poorly managed of all the natural resources. The unscientific assumption that man can never exhaust the resources of the sea has placed upon nature the entire responsibility for renewal and replenishment.

1. In the Philippines

2. Through the ages, fishing has been one of
the earliest occupations known to man. It has
grow from crude and simple beginning into a
complex industry with modern equipment and
installations. The commodities that man
derived from the oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers
are more numerous and varied than what is
commonly known.

4. Fish provides the protein which is
needed in the human diet. Fisheries are
perhaps the most poorly managed of all
the natural resources. The unscientific
assumption that man can never exhaust
the resources of the sea has placed upon
nature the entire responsibility for
renewal and replenishment.

5. Genetic Industries
-are those that develop plant and animal
resources by propagation and reproduction.
They replace the used materials with new
ones through the industry of man.

6. Extractive Industries
- are those which derive their raw materials
directly from nature.
Among the most important of these
industries are mining, lumbering, grazing,
fishing and hunting.

7. Fishing is an important Philippine industry.
It ranks next to farming and livestock raising in
providing the food requirements of the
population. Fish comes next to rice as the
staple food of the Filipinos. Fishing employs
thousands and millions are dependent on the
industry for their livelihood.

8. Fishing GroundsFishing Grounds
The Sulu Sea along Palawan waters is the
most productive fishing of the country. The
well-known fishing grounds of Estancia,
Iloilo is within the influence of the Visayan
Sea while Malampaya Sound lies on the
northwestern waters of Palawan.

9. PRINCIPAL FISHING GROUNDS AND PRODUCTION
Fishing Grounds Production in tons
1. Sulu Sea (along Palawan waters) 204,872,930
2. Visayan Sea 81,115,190
3. Malampaya Sound 22,884,000
4. Manila Bay 18,113,490
5. San Miguel Bay, (between Camarines
Norte and Camarines Sur)
16,091,930
6. Sibuguey Bay, (south of Zamboanga del
Sur)
9,847,370
7. Tayabas Bay, (south of Quezon) 9,819,590
8. Moro Gulf, (between Zamboanga and
Cotabato)
6,494,590
9. Lamon Bay, (east of Quezon and south
of Polilio Island)
5,925,350
10. Samar Sea 4,868,310

10. LEADING PROVINCES IN FISHPOND DEVELOPMENT
Province Area in Has. Production in tons
1. Bulacan 16,172.15 14,555,470
2. Iloilo 17,351.10 13,880,880
3. Pampanga 9,208.92 8,288,030
4. Pangasinan 9,552.56 7,618,050
5. Capiz 11,240.22 6,744.130

11. LEADING PROVINCES WITH POTENTIAL FISHPOND SITES
Province Swampland available for
development (hectares)
1. Northern Samar 113,368
2. Agusan del Sur 44,561
3. Cotabato 58,557
4. Palawan 21,673
5. Davao del Norte 20,715
6. Pampanga 20,685

12. Classification of Fisheries
1. Inland Fishery
The inland waters of the Philippines include
numerous fresh water streams, rivers, swamps,
paddy fields, irrigation canals and ponds where
fish and other fishery products are taken in
sizeable quantities.
Fish pens
-serve as a refuge and breeding ground of the
fish to sustain natural production in the lake
-lake towns of Laguna and Batangas
-milkfish; catfish, goby, tilapia and tawes
-1 hectare yields no less than 16,900 kg of fish
a year.

13. 2. Coastal Fishery or inshore fishery
-found everywhere along the coastlines
of the Philippines.
-conducted within the three-mile limit
of the territorial waters

15. 3. Deep Sea or Offshore Fishery
-being done by commercial fishing
vessels which have a gross weight of more than
three tons and are licensed by the Bureau of
Fisheries.

16. Fish Production and Consumption
In 1990, our exports of fishery products
amounted to 143,049 metric ton while our
imports amounted to 196,155 metric tons.
This deficiency has caused the Philippines
some valuable foreign ex-charge in the
importation of canned fish, such as
sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, squids,
and other fish products.

17. To meet the persistent high fish
requirements and to minimize the important of
this commodity, the government has
undertaken intensive efforts to boost the
production. Measures that were undertaken
include deep-sea fishing development fish pond
expansion and oyster cultivation, fish stocking
of inland waters and utilization of swamplands.
Seaweeds farming-is being encouraged since
seaweed has variety of uses and has great
potential as an export product.

18. Problems of the Fishing Industry
The fishing industry is beset with many
problems. Inspite of the fact that the Philippines
has favorable conditions for the development of the
fishery resources still up to now, we are importing
fish products.
Foremost among these problems as cited by the
Philippine Fisheries Commission are the following:
1. Lack of technical know-how and technical
manpower. To remedy this more vigorous
programs should be put up to train technical
manpower on fisheries.

19. 2. Inadequate transportation, distribution and
refrigeration , in the centers of production. The
acquisition of these facilities should be fully supported by
the government and private individuals who go into
business should be given incentives.
3. Imbalance in exploitation effort. Fishermen’s
cooperatives should be organized so that the capital and
equipment may be used to utilize under exploited fishery
resources and protect the over exploited areas.
4. Alarming increase of water pollution cases. The
National Pollution Control Commission should be given
more support by the government so that appropriate control
measures can be enforced that will minimize the bad effects
of water pollution in aquatic resources.

20. 5. Difficult execution of management due to dual
control of freshwater areas. A law or decree should be
promulgated that will place under national control the
fisheries of major lakes, rivers, and marshes of the
country or at least all those whose areas exceed 1,000
hectares.
6. Inadequacy of fish seedlings. More national,
provincial, and community fish nurseries should be
established especially, in potential development areas
throughout the country.
7. Financing. Financing institutions should extend
liberal credit facilities for the development, expansion,
and improvement of the fishing industry.

21. Fishery Resources and Economic
Development
Fishery, together with agriculture, forestry, and
mining forms the basis industry which supports our
industrial civilization. Fish, together with rice, is the
principal diet of the Filipino people.
In the all out effort to increase food production,
care should be taken to sustain the needs of the
national economy. Fishery resources are not
inexhaustible. Like the forests and the soils, if used
abusively, the fishes will be depleted. Illegal fishing by
the use of dynamites, and poisonous substances, should
be stopped. Pollution of inland and coastal waters that
destroy fish and other aquatic life should be avoided.

22. Overfishing with the use of finely woven nets
should not be allowed so that small and young
fishes would be given the chance to grow into
marketable size before they are caught.
Finally, to encourage private enterprise to go
into deep-sea fishing, the government should
extend liberal credit terms and sympathetic
understanding on the problems of the industry.
With the expansion and development of the
fishery resources, the Philippines may eventually
become a fish exporting country to contribute
immensely to the economic development of the
country.