MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has reported a significant increase in the production of young fish, a move seen as vital to stabilizing the country’s aquaculture sector which now accounts for more than half of the Philippines’ total fisheries output.
According to data released on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, fry and fingerling production from BFAR’s technology centers reached 335.3 million pieces in 2025, representing a 3-percent increase from the previous year.
Driving Productivity Through Technology BFAR National Director Elizer Salilig attributed the growth to the National Broodstock Development Program, which focuses on sustainable aquaculture technologies and the maintenance of quality stocking materials.
- Regional Strategies: National technology centers have been directed to identify “lead fish commodities” specific to each region and intensify field visits to support local farmers.
- Community Hatcheries: The agency is scaling up operations of community-based legislated hatcheries to ensure that fish farmers have direct access to fingerlings, reducing their dependence on imported or external sources.
- Food Security: Salilig emphasized that these efforts are aligned with President Marcos’ directive to prioritize food security and improve the livelihoods of fish farmers.
The Challenges of the Fisheries Sector The boost in fingerling production comes at a critical time, as the broader fisheries industry faces a prolonged decline.
- Production Slump: Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) shows that total fisheries production dropped to 3.96 million metric tons (MT) in 2025 (revised from 4.06 million MT in 2024). This marks the first time overall production has hovered around the 3 million MT level since 2004.
- Aquaculture Dominance: Despite a slight 1.9-percent decrease in its own volume, aquaculture remains the dominant subsector, holding a 55.1 percent market share of the country’s total fisheries production.
- Marine vs. Inland: Marine municipal fisheries saw a 6.7-percent decrease, while inland municipal fisheries provided a rare bright spot with a 7.7-percent increment in production.
Strategic Partnerships To combat the downward trend, BFAR is seeking stronger partnerships with the private sector and leveraging international support, such as a recent $16-million grant from South Korea dedicated to aquaculture and agribusiness development.
By strengthening hatchery operations and focusing on localized stocking strategies, the government hopes to reverse the multi-year decline in fisheries output and ensure a steady supply of affordable fish for the domestic market.