Oceana raises alarm on 5% decline in 2024 fishery production
Press Release Date: February 10, 2025
International marine protection organization Oceana warned of a further decline in fishery production in no time, that will result in food security crisis and malnutrition especially among the poor and vulnerable coastal communities if commercial fishing operations are allowed inside the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
The non-government campaign organization found the preliminary report by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicating a 5% decline in the country’s fisheries output in 2024, marking the lowest in two decades, highly disturbing, especially if the Supreme Court 1st Division resolution and the Malabon Regional Trial Court decision become final and executory.
A closer look at the data reveals an even more alarming trend. Marine municipal fisheries production dropped to its lowest since 2002 at 8.8 %, from 879.96 thousand metric tons in 2023 to 802.77 thousand metric tons in 2024. This further reduces the share of small-scale fishers in total fisheries production to only 19.8%. Meanwhile, commercial fisheries production increased by 4.2%, reaching 857.33 thousand metric tons in 2024 from 822.43 thousand metric tons in 2023, accounting for 21.2% of total fisheries production.
Oceana raised concern that the declining marine municipal fisheries output — already at risk from climate change, habitat degradation, and pollution — could be further worsened by the potential legitimization of commercial fishing within municipal waters, depriving artisanal fishers of their rightful access to marine resources.
Atty Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Vice President of Oceana, said this downturn in fishery output will continue and will jeopardize the livelihoods of millions who depend on marine resources if illegal commercial fishing is legitimized in the 15-kilometer municipal waters.
“Illegal commercial fishing inside municipal waters and overfishing have long plagued Philippine waters, depleting fish stocks and degrading marine ecosystems. These practices threaten biodiversity and can trigger the collapse of essential fish populations. The unabated exploitation of these resources and often aggressive and destructive, and illegal fishing practices of commercial fishing operators endanger the future of our fisheries and the communities that rely on them,” Ramos said.
The 1987 Constitution, the Local Government Code and the Fisheries Code, as amended, mandate the preferential access of municipal waters for artisanal and municipal fishers to protect their right to food and livelihood security and ensure that fisheries resources are restored for the food and nutritional requirements of the Filipino people.
Based on the data from the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, the court’s ruling will open up more than 90% of the municipal waters for 533 out of 884 coastal municipalities to commercial fishing vessels. “Legitimizing illegal commercial fishing in the reserved 15-kilometer zone for artisanal fisherfolk poses grave consequences for artisanal fishers, who will unfairly compete with technologically advanced equipment and more efficient fishing gears of commercial fishing vessels. The daily catch of municipal fisherfolk, which sustains their families and local markets, is at risk of significant reduction, pushing many into economic hardship and hunger,” Ramos pointed out.
Last weekend, 50 bishops of the Catholic Business Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), led by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David of the Diocese of Kalookan issued a pastoral statement, strongly opposing the controversial courts’ decision.
Local government executives have also opposed the decision with some of them standing up for their mandate to protect and manage municipal waters of their jurisdiction to ensure the food and livelihood security of their constituents.
At the House of Representatives, Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Kabataan Partyist Rep. Raoul Manuel joined the surge of voices of alarm about this threat to the biodiversity of marine habitats inside municipal waters and the potential crisis that will be caused by the courts’ decision. Subsequently, Rodriguez filed a bill to make the municipal waters exclusive for the use of small-scale fishers.
Kabataan Partylist, GABRIELA Women’s Partylist and ACT Teachers Partylist also filed House of Representatives Resolution 2202, directing the Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resources to investigate the impacts of the Supreme Court 1st Division Resolution.
“Artisanal fisherfolk, coastal communities and local government chief executives have lauded recent reforms for science-based solutions to the declining state of our fisheries and marine resources, including the implementation of vessel monitoring measures and Fisheries Management Areas system. These are the lifeline to their livelihood and sustenance of their family. We need to fully enforce the laws to ensure that our fisheries rebound and the rights of subsistence fisherfolk are upheld against the profit-seeking interests of commercial fishing operators,” said Ramos. (END)
Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one-quarter of the world’s wild fish catch. With more than 300 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, oil and plastic pollution, and the killing of threatened species like turtles, whales, and sharks, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that 1 billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world. Visit Oceana.org to learn more.
For More Information:
Joyce Sierra, Communications Manager, Oceana
Mobile: 09178214430 E-mail: jsierra@oceana.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/oceana.philippines
Twitter: @oceana_ph Instagram: @oceana_ph