After a record run, fish unloading st the country’s regional fish ports has been declining due to persistent downpour, which was intensified by Typhoon Fabian last week.
The Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) reported that the country's Regional Fish Ports (RFP) saw a significant decline, around 50 percent, in fish unloading from July 19 to 25.
In total, RFPs’ combined fish unloading went down to 6,056.45 metric tons (MT), compared to the previous week’s 12,315.63 MT.
PFDA’s Operations Services Department (OSD) attributed the week’s decline to Typhoon Fabian, which enhanced southwest monsoon rains or Hanging Habagat affecting various port and market operations in all RFPs.
During the week, however, PFDA – Sual Fish Port (PFDA-SFP) maintained an increasing record, after registering a 64.31 percent increase in fish unloading, or equivalent to 79.13 MT. The agency’s isDA ON THE GO (iOTG) project also continuously provides quality and affordable fresh-frozen fishery products in Metro Manila and various areas in Luzon despite the sudden shift in fish unloading volume.
Based on the report, the iOTG project has already sold a total of 122,529.17 kilograms of affordable fishery products, and has served more than 435,118 families since the start of the pandemic last March 2020.
From July 5 to 11, PFDA recorded its second-highest weekly fish unloading volume of the year after its RFPs unloaded as much as 13,366 MT of fish products. By far, this is the second 13,000-mark achieved by the RFPs since March of this year.
This was supported by the fact that all fish ports managed to increase their unloading volume and reach the positive trend, with PFDA – General Santos Fish Port Complex (PFDA-GSFPC) and PFDA – Davao Fish Port Complex (PFDA-DFPC) being the top-performing fish ports for the week.
Meanwhile, PFDA – Navotas Fish Port Complex (PFDA-NFPC), one of the largest fish ports in Asia, maintained its positive unloading streak, registering 3,921.41 MT of fish for all its clients and stakeholders during the week.